


Navigating Your Heart

by Snapdragon83



Category: Blindspot (TV)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-11
Updated: 2018-02-02
Packaged: 2018-09-07 22:06:37
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 18
Words: 35,198
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8817934
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Snapdragon83/pseuds/Snapdragon83
Summary: Blindspot meets Love Boat. Featuring Rich Dotcom. Written for a prompt on Tumblr.





	1. Chapter 1

I do not own Blindspot or its characters.

* * *

 

The _Orion_ was due to set sail in thirty minutes.

Captain Weller leaned against the railing as the announcement blared over the loudspeaker. To a casual observer, he was watching the passengers milling around on the deck below, but in reality he was hyper-focused on one passenger. One man.

The owner of the ship, Rich Dotcom.

Rich was the one thorn in his side in a job he otherwise loved. The man had begun taking an unreasoning interest in his love life while on his honeymoon voyage last year, and if the glint in his eye when he'd come onboard was any indication, it was going to be a long cruise. It was as if Rich was so disgustingly happy that he couldn’t rest until everyone in his orbit felt the same.

And it looked as if he didn’t intend to waste any time working toward that goal. Weller’s jaw clenched as Rich winked at him as he approached the cruise director that he had personally hired six months ago. The cruise director with whom he had gleefully noted Weller had serious chemistry and that he had made it his personal mission to get him together with.

Which guaranteed that _this_ voyage was going to be his own personal hell. Kurt clenched his jaw as he forcibly tore his eyes away from the woman who occupied more of his thoughts than he cared to admit. As the captain of the ship, he had always tried to avoid the potential pitfalls that could arise from . . . entanglements with the women on the crew he commanded. It was a habit ingrained in him from his days in the military. Pity his boss didn’t appreciate his sense of duty.

“Captain? We’re ready to get underway,” his first mate informed him, interrupting his musings just as he felt his eyes being drawn back to Jane.

“Thank you, Patterson.” Weller was grateful for the distraction, and he strode to the bridge without a backwards glance.

They were well out to sea before he saw Jane again. He was taking his customary mid-afternoon stroll around the deck when the sound of raised voices caught his attention, and he saw her talking with Rich beside the pool.

“What do you mean, the cruise is overbooked?” Jane demanded as he approached. “Weitz would have informed Captain Weller if that were the case. _Before_ we left port.” She didn’t care much for the chief purser personally, but the man took his duties far too seriously to allow such a thing to happen.

Weller got a sinking feeling as Rich adopted a chagrined look that he was certain his boss was very far from feeling. He knew that look all too well, and it signaled trouble. “What’s going on here?” he demanded as he came to a stop just behind Jane.

“Well . . .” Rich drew out the word, relishing this moment to the max. “I’m afraid I didn’t realize the ship was completely booked, and I invited a couple friends to accompany me at the last minute.”

 _The hell he hadn’t_ , Kurt thought furiously. He’d bet his entire salary for this cruise that Rich knew exactly how many passengers were on each of his ships at any given time. “Sir—”

“And naturally,” Rich continued smoothly, “as the owner of such a respected cruise line, I can hardly ask two of my dearest _friends_ to sleep out on the deck. I was just informing Ms. Doe here that I would need her cabin for the duration of the cruise.”

“So you expect her to sleep out on the deck?” Kurt asked incredulously. “I seem to recall the owner’s cabin having two bedrooms. Why don’t you have your friends stay with you?”

Rich was horrified. “On mine and Boston’s six-month anniversary cruise? Have a heart, Stubbles. We’re still _newlyweds_. No, no. That would be far too uncomfortable for all of us. Ms. Doe can move in with one of the ship’s crew. The doctor, perhaps. He seems like a nice fellow.”

Kurt ground his teeth. Reade was indeed a “nice fellow,” and he was a good friend, but the idea of Jane sharing a cabin—a _bed_ —with him . . .

“Unless you’d prefer to offer Jane accommodations?” Rich asked blandly. “Your cabin is a great deal more spacious than the good doctor’s, as I recall.”

Kurt realized the trap too late. “Well, I . . .”

“Fantastic,” Rich intoned as if that hadn’t been his plan all along. “That’s very generous of you, Captain. I do apologize for the inconvenience, Janie. I’ll instruct a steward to help you move your things to the captain’s cabin, and of course, you absolutely must join my friends and me for dinners at the captain’s table for the duration of the voyage.”

Dinner at the captain’s table was always at least a semi-formal affair. “But sir,” Jane protested, “I don’t have anything suitable to wear. Besides, I should be working—”

“Nonsense,” Rich interrupted. “You have to eat sometime. Your assistant can handle any . . . difficulties that may arise during dinner. And don’t you worry about what to wear. One of the shops just got in a shipment of gowns, and I’ll have them all sent to the captain’s cabin. They’re yours for being such a good sport about this. I’ll see you at seven.” He walked away before the stunned pair could offer any further objections.

“He planned this,” Jane said unhappily. She could practically feel the fury radiating off Kurt, and she didn’t dare look at him. She wished he wasn’t _quite_ so upset at the prospect of spending more time with her, but she couldn’t blame him for resenting the intrusion on his personal space.

“Right down to the timing of his announcement, no doubt,” Kurt agreed. His daily routine while at sea was well-established, and he never varied on the route he took on his walk. Clearly, it was time to change things up a little.

“I’m sorry, Kurt,” Jane apologized. “Let me talk to Patterson and see if I can room with her.” It would be cramped, but the two of them were good friends; surely they could manage it for the duration of one voyage.

“No.” Kurt shook his head. “Rich clearly wants us together, and I don’t want him pulling any more shenanigans to make it happen.” God only knew what the man would come up with next if they crossed him. He placed his hands on Jane’s shoulders and turned her to face him, feeling his ire drain away at the uncertainty in her eyes. What he wouldn’t give to kiss away the doubts reflected there.

Instead, he dropped his hands and took a step back, hoping the distance would help him regain the perspective he was already in danger of losing. “It’s only for a week. We can manage that, right?”

Was he asking her or himself? Jane wondered, but she simply nodded. It would be a week of exquisite torture, being so close to him and yet unable to indulge in the fantasies she’d had of the two of them, and she was anticipating and dreading it in equal measure. She knew it was too much to expect that their proximity would cause him to reconsider his stance on a relationship between them—he was far too stubborn for that—but though her head knew that, her _heart_ was already dreaming of a different outcome.

She would be lucky if it didn’t shatter into a million pieces by the end of this voyage.

“Okay, then.” Kurt took a deep breath. “If I know Rich, he’s probably already got your things packed and on the way to my cabin, so why don’t we go get you settled in?” He started that way as he spoke, and Jane fell into step beside him. He glanced over at her, noting that she was gazing out at the ocean. “Beautiful, isn’t it?” he asked almost too himself, speaking of more than the sparkling waters surrounding them.

“I never get tired of it,” Jane agreed, feeling a flush stain her cheeks at Kurt’s warm gaze. What she wouldn’t give to know what he was thinking at that moment. To have the right to ask him. To be moving in with him not because Rich finagled it, but because he _wanted_ her to.

_Rich clearly wants us together._

She came to an abrupt halt as an idea shot through her brain like a bolt of lightning. “Why not?”

“Why not what?” Kurt asked in confusion, turning back toward a Jane whose eyes were alight with a mischief reminiscent of Rich Dotcom and which made him more than a little uneasy. And her next words confirmed he had been right to be concerned.

“Why not give Rich what he wants?” she suggested. “Look, he’s obviously not going to give up until we get together, and like you said, who knows what other tricks he has up his sleeve to accomplish that, so why not play along?”

Kurt’s brow furrowed as he considered the idea. “That might work. We could pretend to be getting closer as the week goes on, and by the time the cruise is over, Rich will think his work is done. Then he’ll turn his attention to someone else, and we can go back to business as usual.” He ignored the pang in his heart at the thought and studied Jane for a long moment. “As long as you understand that it’s all pretense.”

“Of course,” Jane instantly agreed, lying through her teeth. She meant to secretly do everything in her power to aid Rich in his quest to get them together. She might get her heart broken in the process, but she would much rather try and fail than have the regret of might have beens hanging over her head for the rest of her life. “So do we have a deal?”

Kurt grinned, and the way his face lit up nearly stole Jane’s breath away. It was so rare that she saw a genuine smile on his face, not the practiced one he used on passengers and crew alike. She wanted to see more of those. She wanted to be the _cause_ of more of those. He held out a hand, and she felt electricity course up her arm as she took it.

“Deal.”


	2. Chapter 2

I do not own Blindspot or its characters.

* * *

“You look like you could use a drink,” Zapata commented when Jane entered her lounge shortly after four o’clock. “We’re only a few hours into the first day of the cruise. You don’t usually get that look until day five or six. What gives?”

Jane had never been more tempted to break the rule of not drinking while on duty. “Rich Dotcom brought a couple of friends along, supposedly not knowing that we were fully booked, and I had to move into Kurt’s cabin with him.”

Zapata snorted. “You’re kidding.” Jane’s expression didn’t change. “Oh my god, you’re _serious?”_ Several of the passengers looked her way, and she choked back her laughter with an effort. No wonder Rich had looked like the cat who ate the canary when he strolled through earlier. This voyage had just gotten infinitely more entertaining. She made a mental note to stop by Reade’s office after her shift was over to make a bet on how long it would take the two of them to take advantage of the arrangement. “I bet that made Weller’s day.”

Jane eyed the bottle of alcohol in her friend’s hand with longing. “I thought he was going to throw Rich overboard there for a minute.”

“I’m surprised he didn’t.” Rich was playing with fire. For all that Weller was generally calm and collected in the most extreme of situations, he tended to lose his cool when those same situations involved Jane. And she was equally protective of him. Zapata couldn’t understand how the two of them had managed to avoid acting on that attraction. The sexual tension between them had reached epic levels months ago, and was now bordering on the ridiculous. This was a cruise ship, not the Navy, for god’s sake; there were no rules on fraternization here.

In fact, so many of the crew were hooking up that there were actually posters on STD prevention in the common areas—as well as free condoms, courtesy of Rich. She would have to filch a handful of those for Jane. “Please tell me that you’re going to take advantage of this opportunity and put us all out of our misery.” She did _not_ want to contemplate what Weller would be like if he spent a week with Jane _without_ alleviating that tension.

Jane’s cheeks flamed. “I want to,” she confessed. “But I don’t quite know how to . . . go about it.” The plan had seemed simple when she first conceived it, but the few guys she’d been involved with in the past had been just as interested in pursuing a relationship with her as she was them. If she wasn’t far more intrigued by Weller than she had been all of them combined, didn’t sense that deep down he wanted this just as much as she did, she would have accepted his rejection and moved on. “I was hoping you would have some ideas.”

Oh boy, did she ever. Zapata frowned as she surveyed Jane’s typically drab outfit. Everything she owned seemed to be in dark colors and unflattering designs. “First things first. We’ve _got_ to do something about your wardrobe.”

Jane frowned. “What’s wrong with my clothes?”

“They look like they were filched from my grandmother’s closet,” Zapata said bluntly. “Forty years ago.” Though that might be a generous estimation. She glanced down the counter at the other bartender on duty. “Hey, Ana. Can you cover for me the rest of my shift?” They only had about twenty minutes to go, and it was a slow time.

“Sure,” Ana agreed. “If you’ll cover for me so I can leave early tomorrow night.” Both women turned their attention on her, and she blushed. “I, uh . . . I have a date.”

“With Oliver?” Jane asked eagerly. Ana had made no secret of her interest in the hot Australian chef since hiring on three months ago, and she hoped he’d finally taken notice of her.

“Yeah,” Ana told them. She’d begun to think that he didn’t even know she was alive, and the invitation had caught her off-guard. She hoped her stammering acceptance hadn’t made him regret asking her. “He’s going to cook us dinner once the kitchen closes for the night.”

“I want details,” Zapata told her as she began steering Jane out of the lounge and in the direction of one of the ship’s most expensive boutiques. “Don’t,” she warned when Jane opened her mouth to protest that she couldn’t afford to shop there. “You can’t put a price on happiness, girl. Think of it as an investment in your future.”

Jane nodded mutely as she followed her inside. Good thing her living expenses had been minimal, and she had saved every penny of her paychecks that she could since signing on with the cruise line. She had a feeling she was about to spend all of that and more. _Much_ more, she amended when Zapata began tossing garments at her faster than she could blink. Lingerie, blouses, skirts . . . nothing escaped her attention, and every article of clothing was far more revealing than anything she would ever have chosen for herself. She even threw in a green bikini and an accessorizing wrap. “I don’t think . . .”

“Trust me,” Zapata said. “If you want Weller to stop resisting you, then you need to make yourself _ir_ resistible. You won’t even recognize yourself when I'm through with you.”

That was what she was afraid of, Jane thought, but she stifled her objections. She could hardly ask Tasha for help, and then spurn her advice.

She just hoped the end result would be worth it.

“Hey, Rose,” Zapata greeted the cashier when they finally approached the checkout counter. “Good to see you again. Jane here finally decided to update her wardrobe.”

“Smart move," Rose approved as she began ringing up the items. “I would too if I was moving in with a guy as hot as our captain. What?” she asked as they both looked at her in disbelief. “You know how it is aboard this ship. I heard it from the casino manager, who heard it from the head waiter, who heard it from the third officer, who overheard the steward who moved your things telling the head of housekeeping about it. And then of course Mr. Dotcom had us send you all those dresses.”

“Oh god,” Jane groaned. If this didn’t work out, she was going to have to seek employment elsewhere. She would never be able to hold her head up on this ship again.

“What dresses?” Zapata asked curiously.

“Rich insisted that I have dinners at the captain’s table during this cruise,” Jane told her. “Since I didn’t have anything suitable to wear, he promised to send over some gowns. What?” she asked when Zapata looked frantically at her watch.

“You’re having dinner at the captain’s table, and you’re just _now_ mentioning this to me?” Zapata asked in disbelief. Jane’s face clearly reflected that she thought this was no big deal, and Zapata sighed. “Okay, new plan. Pay the lady, we’ll head back to my cabin to grab a few things, and then go to yours to get you ready.”

Jane obediently held out her credit card, but Rose shook her head. “Nope. This is all paid for. Mr. Dotcom put out the word to all the stores that if you came in to buy anything, we’re to charge it to his account. Such a nice man,” Rose gushed as she bagged Jane’s purchases and handed them over.

She could think of a few words that better described him— _devious_ and _manipulative_ heading that list—but Jane bit her tongue with an effort. She would reserve judgment until she determined if his efforts were worthwhile or not. And no matter what, she would _definitely_ be paying him back.

Zapata thrust the bags of clothing she was carrying at Jane the moment they stepped into her cabin and began moving through it like a whirlwind, gathering the supplies she would need, ignoring all Jane’s protests that there was no need to be in such a hurry. The transformation she had in mind took time. Genius couldn’t be rushed. Or at least not _too_ much.

Fortunately, they ran into help along the way. “Hey, Patterson,” Zapata greeted as the first mate approached, slinging an arm over her shoulders to steer her in their direction. “You’re coming with us. It’s an emergency. Jane here is having dinner with Weller tonight, and we can’t let her go like—” she gestured in Jane’s direction, “ _that.”_

“Hey!” Jane protested, still not seeing anything wrong with her current look, but both women ignored her. They followed her into the cabin, all of them relieved to find Kurt wasn’t in it, and oohed and aahed over the cushy surroundings—Rich spared no expense to make sure his skippers were happy—before getting down to business.

They argued over the merits of the dozen or so dresses hanging in the closet, but surprisingly Zapata ultimately agreed with Jane’s pick, and she was zipped into a body-hugging black gown that was nonetheless the least revealing of the gowns Rich had sent her. “This is perfect,” she explained to Patterson as the blonde took charge of Jane’s hair while she gleefully applied her makeup. She had wanted to do this from the moment she laid eyes on her. “It shows just a hint of the cleavage she’s been covering up all this time, but it leaves plenty to the imagination.” And she was counting on Weller having a vivid one. “We’ll go with a successively more revealing gown each day, and by the end of the week, he won’t be able to resist unwrapping the whole package.”

Patterson was scandalized. “I . . . I can’t . . . You can’t tell me this.” Her brow furrowed as she recalled her earlier conversation with her boss. “Wait. Weller told me that you guys were just going to be _pretending_ to get close to get Rich off your backs.”

“Well, yeah . . .” Jane admitted. “That was the deal I made with him, but . . .”

“But secretly you were always planning to seduce him,” Zapata finished for her. “Oh, that’s brilliant. Girl, you are _way_ more devious than I gave you credit for.” Her admiration for Jane shot up several notches. She stepped back, studying Jane critically. “Okay, you’re ready.” She pulled Jane to her feet and turned her toward the mirror. “What do you think?”

Jane stared at her reflection in the mirror, hardly able to believe she was looking at herself. Patterson and Zapata had worked wonders. Her normally straggly hair now framed her face becomingly, and the tastefully applied makeup lent just the right hint of color to her cheeks and accentuated her eyes. “I’m . . . pretty.”

“You’re freaking gorgeous,” Zapata said bluntly. She and Patterson both hugged their friend before she pushed Jane toward the door. “Now get out there and knock him dead.”


	3. Chapter 3

I do not own Blindspot or its characters.

* * *

It was nearly seven, and Jane still hadn’t arrived. Kurt glanced around the crowded dining room again, scanning the faces for any sign of her. He’d chosen to get ready early and attend to his duties elsewhere to give her privacy to get ready, but perhaps that had been a mistake. What if she had needed help, or . . .?

“Relax, Romeo,” Rich said sympathetically as he felt Weller’s anxiety mounting once more. For all his protestations of disinterest, the man had it bad. “She’ll be here. It takes time for a woman to get ready. You’ll learn that soon enough.”

He’d learned that years ago. He had a sister, after all. “Not Jane,” Weller corrected absently. “She doesn’t fuss over her looks like the others.” It was one of the things he lo- _liked_ most about her.

She does when she’s going on a first date with the man she loves, Rich thought, but he held his tongue—and his amusement. Weller had a lot to learn, and he was going to enjoy having a front-row seat to him getting knocked on his ass.

Which he was about to do right now, if Rich wasn’t mistaken, as he caught sight of Jane in the doorway, and a slow smile spread over his face. “Ah, there she is now.”

“Jane?” Kurt choked out as a vision in black satin drifted toward them, hardly able to believe it was her. He couldn’t take his eyes off her as she approached.

Jane smiled shyly up at Kurt as she reached his side. “Patterson and Zapata did my hair and makeup. I, uh . . . I feel ridiculous in this dress.” This was not the sort of thing that had _ever_ been in her wardrobe. She felt like a little girl playing dress-up for the first time.

“That is not the word that I would use,” Kurt assured her, wishing he weren’t too tongue-tied by her beauty to express himself better. That had been one of his past girlfriends’ biggest pet peeves.

“Really?” Rich asked curiously. “What word _would_ you use?” He quailed at the look Weller shot him. “Okay, okay. Easy there, Stubbles.” He turned to the others, who had been watching the exchange with barely disguised interest. “Everyone, I’d like you to meet our cruise director, Jane Doe. Jane, this is my husband, Boston and our friends Markos and Cade. He paused as he rattled off the names to give them time to shake hands, and then they took their seats.

“Jane Doe,” Markos commented once drinks had been served, and they had ordered their appetizers. “That’s an . . . unusual name. I hope you don’t mind my asking . . .”

“Not at all,” Jane responded, taking pity on the man as Kurt stiffened. She was used to this line of inquiry, though she only shared the full truth with a select few. Patterson and Zapata knew her story, but Kurt had never asked and consequently she had never told. “I had amnesia a few years back—” and technically still did, though some of those blanks had been filled in for her, “—and by the time I learned my real identity, it had grown on me, so I legally changed my name.”

“That’s rough,” Cade commented. “So no one came forward to identify you? You didn’t have any friends or family . . .?”

“Not anymore,” Jane said quietly. “They’re all deceased.” One because of choices she had made, the other two by her hand. “Since I had no one left to miss me, I decided to stick with the name I knew and get a fresh start.”

“And now you’re a part of our family,” Rich intervened, sensing Jane’s discomfort. “And we’re very thankful to have you.” He grinned at the others. “The moment a job application for a _Jane Doe_ crossed my desk, I knew I had to hire her.” He shook his head admiringly as he glanced back at her. “So punk. Anyway, long story short, when I interviewed her, I knew she’d be a perfect fit for the _Orion—_ ” and Weller, “—so I transferred the _Orion’s_ cruise director to the ship with the opening, and assigned Jane here.”

Jane frowned slightly. “I always assumed the _Orion_ was the ship with the opening.” She hated to think that she was the reason that another person had been forced to leave their friends behind and start over, though she was grateful for the friends she had found here.

“Nope. But don’t feel bad,” Boston told her, correctly reading her expression. “In fact, you should take it as a compliment. The _Orion_ occupies a special place in Rich’s heart, since it’s where we met, and he only assigns his most special people to her. The former cruise director . . . wasn’t a good fit.”

“He was a tedious stick in the mud,” Rich complained. “No sense of humor, that guy. I don’t know why he took a job on a cruise ship. He has the personality of an insurance underwriter.”

Jane was intrigued. “You guys met on this ship?”

“We sure did.” Rich reached for Boston’s hand. “I knew the moment I laid eyes on him that we were meant to be together, so I lured him away from the restaurant he was working at to be the chef here.”

“He started taking cruises at least once a month,” Boston said with a laugh. “He would ask me out every time, but I turned him down every time because I thought dating my boss would be certain career suicide.”

Rich cast him an adoring glance. “I told him that was all nonsense, of course. We’re not limited by color or class or sex anymore; the idea that employers should avoid dating employees is an equally antiquated notion.” He cast a pointed look at Weller as he spoke. “In my opinion, nothing should keep two people apart who are meant to be together.”

Subtle, Rich, Kurt thought ironically, unaware that he had sidled just a little closer to Jane as the man spoke.

“That’s why in my company, I strive to create a safe and nurturing environment where any two people can explore their attraction to one another, regardless of their position,” Rich continued. “Or three, if they’re into that. I don’t judge. The important thing to me is that no one is alone because of some outdated concept of propriety. I just want everyone to have the chance to be as happy as Boston and I are. Because there’s nothing in this world more important than that.”

“That’s beautiful, Rich,” Jane said quietly. His words struck a chord in her, and even though she knew he didn’t mean for them to, they reminded her of how alone she was. And how _tired_ she was of being that way. If Kurt still wasn’t willing to give them a try after this week was over, she needed to cut her losses and move on. She would never be able to get over him if she had to face him every day.

She wasn’t sure she would ever be able to get over him anyway.

Jane was quiet all throughout the remainder of dinner, and Kurt watched her out of the corner of his eye as they walked back to his cabin. “You okay?” he asked once they were inside. “I know Rich came on a little thick tonight . . .”

“It’s okay,” Jane said as she reached up to unzip her dress. “He didn’t say anything that wasn’t true in my book.” The zipper stuck, and she bit back a curse as she yanked at it.

“Here. Let me.” Kurt came up behind her and gently moved her hands out of the way before slowly, carefully, undoing the zipper. He couldn’t stop his knuckles from brushing her back as he did so, and she shivered. “I’d be a lousy boyfriend, Jane,” he told her as he dropped his hands. “I have it on good authority that I’m stubborn, grumpy, and uncommunicative on the best of days. I’ve _never_ had a relationship that lasted more than a year.”

“You have it on good authority,” Jane repeated, turning to face him. “From whom? Former girlfriends that it didn’t work out with? You really think they’re the best judges of character?”

“Maybe not,” Kurt admitted, “but with the exception of my sister, from the time I was little, everyone I’ve cared about has left me. My childhood . . . well, to say it was screwed up was an understatement. My dad murdered my best friend, though he denied it till he was on his deathbed, and my mom . . .my mom left him—left all of us—after that, but not before telling me I was just like him.”

Jane’s eyes filled with tears. “Kurt—”

“I’ve spent years trying to prove her wrong,” Kurt went on harshly. “To be the _man_ my father wasn’t. But no matter how hard I try in a relationship, it never seems to be enough. They always leave in the end, just like my mom left my dad. Like she left me.” His eyes implored her to understand. “I told you I wouldn’t date you because I’m your boss, but the truth is . . . the truth is I’m terrified if I let you close, you’ll eventually figure out how flawed I am and walk away just like they did.” Their rejections had hurt him, had caused him to close himself off from the world, but hers . . . hers had the potential to shatter him. “Rich might be right in general, but I’m the exception to the rule. I’m better off alone.”

“No, what you are is a _coward,”_ Jane corrected, though there was no heat in her voice. Yelling wasn’t the way to get through to someone as stubborn as him; it would only set his back up and cause him to ignore her words. “You think you’ve cornered the market on crappy childhoods? What you went through was awful and unfair, and I’m not negating that one bit, but let me tell you, mine was ten times worse.”

“You think you’re the only one who’s lost people you care about? At least _you_ still have your sister. I’ve lost _everyone_ , and not just because they _chose_ to go. And I don’t know your sister, but if you were really this flawed person you make yourself out to be, would she have stuck by you?”

Kurt started to speak, but she held up a hand. “I’m not finished. You want to know why those other relationships didn’t work out? Because they _didn’t._ Maybe it was your fault, maybe it was theirs. Maybe it was both of yours, or neither, and they were just never the person you were _supposed_ to end up with. But giving up on finding that person is . . .”

She shook her head. “From the time I was little, I’ve lost everyone and everything too, and some of the things I know I’ve endured . . . well, let’s just say I’m thankful the majority of my memories _haven’t_ come back. But in spite of it all, or maybe because of it, I believe in love more strongly than ever. Because what the hell is the point of this life, if you _don’t_ have someone to share it with?”

She let that question hang in the air between them as she dug her pajamas out of the dresser drawer and headed into the bathroom to change. Kurt was still watching her when she returned, and she walked over to him, reaching a hand up to cup his cheek. “I get the temptation to wall yourself off from everyone and everything, believe me,” she told him. “But ultimately, you’ll just be hurting yourself far worse than any number of rejections ever could. You may not ever want a relationship with me, and that’s fine, but I hope you’ll consider what I’ve said and reach out to _someone._ Because no matter what your mother or anyone else has said about you, I know you, Kurt Weller. I _know_ you’re a good man.”

And if she accomplished nothing else this week, she was determined to help him see that. He deserved to be happy. And in her opinion, his past girlfriends had been idiots, focusing on his few flaws rather than appreciating his many strengths.

She crawled beneath the covers, acutely conscious of him just inches from her as he joined her. “Good night, Kurt.” She rolled over on her side, her back to him, but she could feel his eyes on her for quite some time before his breathing evened out.

Sleep was a long time coming for her as well.


	4. Chapter 4

I do not own Blindspot or its characters.

* * *

“So,” Zapata asked eagerly as soon as Jane opened the door to them, “how did it go last night?” She frowned as she realized her friend was still in her pajamas and looked like she’d barely slept. And from the look Jane shot her, the lack of sleep wasn’t an unintended side effect of more . . . enjoyable nocturnal activities. “That bad, huh?”

Jane groaned as she turned away from the door, allowing her friends inside without protest. At least Patterson and Ana had thought to snag breakfast. She led the way out to the balcony and sank down in one of the chairs there. “Kurt was gone before I woke up this morning,” she admitted. “We . . . had words last night.”

She started to take a bite of the omelet Patterson placed on the table in front of her, but Zapata grabbed her wrist. “No way. No eating until we get details. Very in-depth, specific, detailed details.”

Jane obligingly filled them in on her conversation with Kurt, carefully omitting the more personal details. “I think I just ruined any chance I had with him,” she said unhappily. “I should have kept my mouth shut.”

“Are you kidding?” Zapata was grinning from ear-to-ear. “You hadn’t even platonically slept together yet, and the man threw all his most personal objections to a relationship at you? I’m going to have to up my bet with Reade. Weller is clearly running scared,” she explained at Jane’s outraged look. “He’s obviously realized he won’t be able to resist you, so he’s trying to get you to do it for him. This is . . . this is _terrific_ news.”

Jane perked up slightly at Zapata’s optimism, particularly since Patterson and Ana seemed to share it. “So . . . what do I do?”

“Do?” Zapata echoed. “Just what you’ve been doing, only in those nice new clothes I picked out for you. We’ll get you dressed and made up again, and then you go out there and flash those _Doe_ eyes at him while you’re doing your job. Maybe flirt with a few of the guests, if you get the chance. There’s nothing like a little jealousy to motivate a man to step up. But don’t make it _too_ easy for him,” she cautioned. “Men love a challenge as well. And Weller deserves to have to work for it after stringing you along all this time.”

He hadn’t exactly done that, but Jane knew better than to argue with her friend. And the thought of Kurt pining after her as she had done him all this time was a trifle more appealing than it should have been. Which was why she didn’t protest when her friends bundled her into a low-cut sleeveless red blouse and a tight black skirt that was a great deal shorter than she was used to.

Since she didn’t have to announce a port of call today, she didn’t arrive on deck until half past eight, relieved that Kurt was nowhere in sight to give her time to acclimate to her new look, and she checked in with her assistant to make sure no problems had arisen last night before making the rounds of the day’s scheduled entertainers.

She paused to greet guests as she went, drawing more than a few admiring glances from the men along the way, which bolstered her confidence in her new look, and by the time she made it to the dining room, lunch was underway. She had intended to just grab something to take back to her office, but when she arrived in the dining room, Kurt was there. “Hey,” she greeted as normally as she could manage as he approached.

“Hi, Jane,” Kurt said awkwardly. “You, uh . . . you look nice today. Is that a new outfit?”

“Thanks.” Jane did her best not to appear too thrilled at the compliment. He rarely mentioned her looks. “Yeah, Zapata and I went shopping yesterday. She’s been trying to talk me into a wardrobe update for a while, and I figured it was overdue.”

From where he stood, the old wardrobe had been just fine. Not that he wasn’t enjoying her new look, but he didn’t like the stares it was drawing from other men. He was just opening his mouth to ask her to have lunch with him when one of those other men strolled over to them.

“Hello, Jane,” Markos greeted, his gaze lingering on her a bit too long and too appreciatively for Kurt’s liking, and he bristled when the other man took her hand and kissed it. “You’re looking ravishing today. Would you care to make my day by gracing my table with your presence?”

“I was just about to ask her to have lunch with me,” Kurt said gruffly. “We have ship’s business to discuss. Besides, the crew aren’t allowed to date passengers. It’s against company policy.”

Marcos was unfazed. “I checked with Rich, and he said it was fine with him. And surely whatever you need to discuss can wait until after she’s dined. One should never mix business . . .” his voice dropped huskily, “. . . with pleasure. But perhaps,” he suggested, “perhaps we should let the lady decide.”

 _Good grief,_ Jane thought as two sets of eyes regarded her expectantly. She had gone from having _no_ men interested in her to having two of them fighting over her like dogs over a prize bone. Unfortunately, she suspected both her would-be Prince Charmings would lose interest once they got what they wanted. But since there was only one of them _she_ was interested in, her decision was easy. “I’m sorry, Markos. I—”

“Say no more,” Markos interrupted gallantly. “I understand. I’ll accept defeat gracefully . . . provided you agree to go dancing with me tonight.”

Kurt’s momentary triumph faded as quickly as it had come as Jane smiled up at the man. _Say no. Say . . ._ “I’d like that,” she told him, and his heart sank into his toes.

“Fantastic. I’ll escort you to the ballroom after dinner.” Markos pressed another kiss to the back of Jane’s hand, his mischievous nature causing him to let his lips linger a bit longer than strictly necessary. He avoided looking at the captain as he straightened up, but he could feel the man’s eyes boring into his head. “Until tonight, fair lady.” He strolled away whistling.

“Ready to get some lunch?” Jane asked as evenly as possible as she met Kurt’s eyes, the hurt and confusion there tempting her to call Markos back and change her mind until Zapata’s words rang in her ears.

_Don’t make it too easy for him._

Kurt didn’t say anything until they’d made it through the buffet line and were seated at his table. “If I’d known you wanted to go dancing . . .” he began stiffly.

“ _I_ didn’t know I wanted to go dancing until Markos asked me,” Jane told him gently. “And that’s the problem, Kurt. Sometimes it’s nice to be asked to do things not because you’ve _told_ the other person you want to try them, but because _they_ want to experience them with you. Though Markos probably would have been better off if I’d said no,” she added with a laugh. “I have no idea if I’ve ever danced before. I’ll probably step all over his toes.”

“Or you might have been a tango champion,” Kurt countered, smiling when his words drew a laugh from her, wishing he’d been the one who’d thought to ask her. But maybe there was one thing he could give her that Markos couldn’t. “I'm sorry that I didn’t know . . . that I never asked . . . If you ever want to talk about . . . about your past or . . . or anything, I’m here.” He winced at his fumbling attempts to express himself. “I know I’m not a smooth talker like Markos . . .”

“He is ridiculous, isn’t he?” Jane agreed to put Kurt’s mind at ease. “I wonder how many women actually fall for that routine of his. Personally . . .” She smiled as she met Kurt’s eyes. “Personally, I prefer one awkwardly heartfelt compliment over all that practiced flattery. It just doesn’t ring true.”

 _No, it didn’t,_ Kurt thought, warmed by Jane’s words even as they renewed his concerns about Markos, and he resolved to keep a closer eye on that guy. _Particularly_ when he was with Jane. Just because he was Rich’s friend didn’t mean he could be trusted. _Especially_ not with her.

Though he’d had no idea how difficult that task would be. He’d known he would loathe seeing her in another man’s arms, but her attire for the evening made the agony a thousand times more acute. She was wearing a strapless emerald gown that dipped low in the back, and seeing Markos’s hands on her bare skin as they swayed to the music was causing Kurt to entertain thoughts that were decidedly dangerous to the man’s well-being.

“Wow,” Rich chuckled as he zeroed in on Weller’s smoldering glare, speaking to no one in particular. He’d been leaning against the wall all evening with his gaze laser-focused on the pair, his body language warning away the few women who were foolhardy enough to contemplate asking him to dance. “Stubbles there does not look pleased.”

“Just like you intended, no doubt,” agreed a sardonic voice to his left, and Rich turned his head to meet the coolly assessing gaze of the bartender who had served him earlier. She held out a hand. “Tasha Zapata. I’m one of Jane’s best friends. I’ve been wanting to thank you for orchestrating this and hopefully putting us all out of our misery.”

Rich grinned as he shook her hand. “Ah, yes, Ms. Zapata. The woman who accompanied Jane on her shopping spree yesterday. We should talk.”

The music changed to a slow number, signaling the last dance of the night, and Rich’s eyes perked up as Weller pushed himself off the wall. He’d been waiting for him to make a move all night, and it looked like he was finally going to get his wish. “Have a drink with me after this?” he asked as Weller approached the couple.

“Deal,” Zapata agreed, similarly transfixed, not taking her eyes off the drama unfolding in front of her.

Kurt swallowed hard as he approached the pair and tapped Markos on the shoulder. “Mind if I cut in?” Judging from Jane’s expression, it would be a relief.

“Not at all,” Markos said politely as he stepped back. “She’s all yours.”

 _Yes, she is,_ Kurt thought as he pulled Jane into his arms.

Her eyes were alight with laughter as she looked up at him, following his lead as though they’d done this a thousand times before. “What took you so long?” she demanded.

Kurt blinked in surprise. “Sorry. You looked like you were having a good time.” He would have cut in an hour ago if he’d thought she wouldn’t be annoyed with him for doing so.

Apparently, she was a better actress than she’d thought. “He spent the whole evening alternating between talking about himself and spouting the most outrageous flattery. I thought it was never going to end.”

Kurt winced in sympathy. “Well, on the plus side, you now know you can dance. And if you ever decide you want to do it again . . .” He spun her out and pulled her back into his chest. “I would love to be your partner.”

She would love that too. And not just for dancing. Jane sighed as the music slowed further, and Kurt pulled her closer to him, resting her head on his shoulder and allowing herself to pretend, just for the moment, that this was real. That the two of them were really a couple, happy and in love.

After all, from her perspective, it wasn’t a fantasy at all.


	5. Chapter 5

I do not own Blindspot or its characters.

* * *

Jane knew something was up from the moment Zapata strolled casually into her office the following morning shortly after she had made today’s port of call announcement. _A little too casually,_ Jane thought, noting the glint in her friend’s eye that always spelled trouble. “What’s going on, Tasha?”

“Weller sent me to get you,” Tasha informed her. “Rich has requested that the two of you spend the day on the island with him and Boston, and since we’ll be mooring soon, you need to get changed. Come on. I’ll help you pick out an outfit.” Though she already had the perfect one in mind. One guaranteed to drive Weller out of his.

“Doesn’t that man know we have work to do?” Jane grumbled as she rose and followed Zapata, though she wasn’t nearly as displeased as she sounded. She was surprised Kurt hadn’t put his foot down, however.

Maybe he wanted to spend time with her as much as she did him.

“Oh, no worries,” Zapata said cheerfully. “Your assistant is more than happy to cover for you, and Patterson’s going to mind the ship while you’re away. The only thing you need to worry about is having a very, _very_. . . enjoyable day with the good captain.”

“You’re shameless,” Jane said with a laugh. “Besides, we’re going to be with Rich and Boston all day. How enjoyable can it be?” She liked them, she really did, but she wished since Rich was giving them a day off, they could go off on their own.

“Oh, you might be surprised,” Zapata said under her breath. She hastily changed the subject at Jane’s questioning look. “Have you told Weller . . . Does he know about . . .?”

“No,” Jane confessed, and there was a world of trepidation in that single word. It was her greatest fear now that things seemed to be changing between them, now that there was the _possibility_ of an actual relationship, that Kurt would take her words to heart and decide to take a change on them, only to close himself off forever when he learned the ugly truth about her.

“Jane. He’ll understand,” Zapata reassured as they entered the cabin. “You did the best you could under the circumstances. After everything you’d been through, it’s amazing you acted at _all._ ”

“Yeah,” Jane agreed halfheartedly. She knew that was true, but a part of her would always wonder how many lives could have been saved if she had seen through Shepherd’s lies and manipulation and taken a stand _sooner._ She shook off the thought, determined not to let anything spoil this day for her. Higher authorities than her had found her blameless in the events that transpired. “So. What should I wear today?”

“This.” Zapata grinned devilishly as she held up the bikini and wrap they had purchased the other day.

Jane’s look clearly reflected that she thought her friend had lost her mind. “Are you crazy? I can’t walk around the island in _that._ Besides, didn’t you say that we needed to go with successively more revealing clothes? That’s pretty much the whole enchilada.”

Zapata waved aside her concerns. “After the way he was looking at you last night? He’s totally on the hook. Now all we need to do is reel him in.” Jane still didn’t look convinced, and she grabbed her phone, pulling up the pictures she had taken last night. “Here, see for yourself.”

Jane stared down at the images, transfixed. The first one must have been taken moments after Kurt cut in; they were gazing at one another as if they had been separated for an eternity rather than the hour or so since dinner and never wanted to let one another out of their sight again. They grew closer and closer in each successive photo until Jane’s head was pillowed against Kurt’s shoulder in the last one, and his cheek was resting against her hair.

They looked like a couple completely and totally in love.

Jane offered no further resistance to her chosen outfit for the day, and they reached the lower deck just as the boat arrived to ferry them to shore. She shoved the bag she had packed into Jane’s hands as they approached Weller. “Here. I packed you some extra sunscreen and a few other supplies you might need today.” She hoped.

Kurt turned at the sound of Zapata’s voice and lost his at the sight of Jane in an emerald green bikini covered by a sheer white lace kaftan that fell to mid-thigh. Zapata grinned at the dumbstruck look on his face. “Have fun, you two. Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.” Though that admittedly didn’t leave much ground uncovered. Rich had introduced her to his friend Cade last night, and she was hoping to have some fun of her own with him soon.

“I’m beginning to regret letting her pick out my outfits,” Jane said in an undertone to Kurt as Zapata motioned them through the open doorway onto the dock. “I tried telling her this wasn’t really appropriate for—”

“Jane,” Kurt interrupted. “It’s fine. You look . . .” He swallowed hard. “You’ll fit right in.” _You’ll be the most beautiful woman on the island,_ he wanted to tell her, but the words stuck in his throat. “I’m, uh . . . I’m really looking forward to today. Even if we _do_ have to spend it with Rich and Boston.” His first thought when Rich had informed him that he was giving the two of them the day off was anticipation that they would finally have some time alone.

“Me too,” Jane said shyly. She glanced around. “Where are Rich and Boston?”

“They went on ahead,” Kurt told her. “Rich told me to give him a call when we arrive, and they’ll arrange a place to meet.” He motioned for her to precede him onto the dock and stepped into the small boat before extending a hand to help Jane aboard, keeping hold of hers even after they had taken their seats, much to Zapata’s obvious amusement. She leaned against the railing and watched them until they were just a speck in the distance.

“How long do you think it will take them to realize where they’re going?” asked a voice behind her, and she grinned as she turned to face Rich Dotcom. The two of them had spent a gleeful half hour last night after Jane and Kurt returned to their cabin putting this plan into motion.

“The way they were looking at one another? They’ll probably be halfway to the island before it dawns on them,” Zapata chuckled. What she wouldn’t give to see their faces when the boat’s captain told them of the change in plans. Of course, they wouldn’t be aware of just _how_ much those plans had changed until they arrived. She hoped they appreciated her genius and Rich’s efforts on their behalf.

Jane and Kurt were indeed so engrossed in one another that it took them quite some time to realize that they weren’t heading for the populated island directly in front of them, but a smaller, uninhabited one to their left. “What the hell . . .”

As one, their eyes turned to the boat’s captain, and the man shrugged woodenly. “Mr. Dotcom’s orders, sir. He said he thought the day would be more enjoyable in a more . . . secluded location.” As per his orders, he waited until they arrived at the island to give them the rest of his instructions. “Mr. Dotcom said to follow the beach around to the right for about a mile, and you’ll find where they set up. I am to return for you at four. Have a nice day.”

 _Friendly fellow,_ Kurt thought as he hopped out of the boat, wondering why he couldn’t have just put them ashore in that spot. He lifted Jane out and carried her to shore before taking the bag Zapata had given her and slinging it over his own shoulder. “Well,” he said, “I guess we’ve got a bit of a walk ahead of us.”

“Yeah,” Jane agreed, wondering what Rich had in store for them now. She suspected they were in for a surprise. “I, uh . . . I should probably put on some sunscreen before we get going.” Zapata had rushed her so fast while she was getting changed that she hadn’t even thought of it. “Would you mind getting it out of my bag?”

Kurt obligingly unzipped the bag and was feeling for the sunscreen when his fingers brushed up against something else. Something small and very familiar to him. His brow furrowed as he pulled it out. “Jane. Why are there condoms in your bag?”

Jane’s cheeks flamed as she stared at the foil packet in Kurt’s hand. “I didn’t pack them, I swear! Tasha gave me the bag. She must have . . .” She shook her head as she glanced back toward the ship. She wouldn’t put it past her friend to be watching them with a telescope right now. “If I didn’t know better, I’d swear she was in cahoots with Rich Dotcom,” she grumbled.

“We certainly have some . . . interesting friends,” Kurt agreed. “Well-meaning, but incredibly interfering. I feel like it’s time to give them their comeuppance.”

Jane was entirely on board with the idea of turning the tables on them. “How would we do that?”

“Well . . .” Kurt hesitated. “I think it’s time we tell them we’ve decided we’re better off staying just friends. Don’t you?”


	6. Chapter 6

I do not own Blindspot or its characters.

* * *

_I think it’s time we tell them we’re better off staying just friends. Don’t you?_

Kurt’s question rang in her ears, and Jane struggled to keep a smile on her face as the perfect day she had envisioned suddenly turned torturous. “Sure,” she responded, surprised at how steady her voice sounded. She grabbed for the bag and pulled the sunscreen out, hastily squeezing some into her palm and haphazardly applying it to give her a moment to compose herself.

Kurt sighed as he watched Jane’s jerky movements. Clearly, she had completely misunderstood him. “Jane—”

“All done,” she announced brightly as she tossed the tube back in the bag. “Ready to go?”

He took the bag from her and pulled it back out. “I think you missed a few spots,” he murmured huskily, rubbing it into her exposed neck and shoulders. “Now you’re ready to go. Jane—”

“It’s a beautiful day, isn’t it?” Jane asked as she started walking in the direction the captain had pointed them. “Not a cloud in the sky anywh—” Her words were cut off when Kurt pulled her into his arms and crushed his mouth to hers.

She was stiff in his arms at first, and he brushed her lips tentatively with his own until she softened and began returning the kiss with equal fervor. He groaned into her mouth when her tongue traced the seam of his lips and then slipped inside, and he quickly reciprocated. She tasted sweet with an underlying hint of spicy, much like her personality, and the taste was intoxicating. He pulled her flush against him as he devoured her mouth.

"Wow," Jane said when they broke apart for air. "That wasn't very _friendly_." His eyes instantly lit with laughter, and she blushed. "I mean it was _more_ than _friendly_. I thought—"

"I said I wanted to tell everyone else we'd decided to be just friends," Kurt told her soberly, holding her gaze with his own so she would realize how deadly serious he was. "I didn't say that was all I _wanted_ us to be."

He stopped as he realized that was exactly what he _had_ said just a few days ago—what he had been saying since he met her. "At least . . . not anymore. I haven't been able to stop thinking about what you said the other night, and you're right. I have been a coward, and that's not fair to either one of us, but especially not you. You're not my past girlfriends, and you don't deserve to be rejected for their mistakes. For _my_ past mistakes. I want to give us a try. If you’re still willing, that is.” He held his breath as he waited for Jane’s response.

“I am,” she told him. “But there are things about me you should probably know before you make up your mind for sure. I—"

“I know everything about you I need to,” Kurt interrupted tenderly. “And I’ve already made up my mind.” He lowered his head for another kiss, but she placed a hand on his chest, stopping him.

“My adoptive mother was an international arms dealer,” Jane informed him. “And she taught me to . . . Let’s just say there were a lot of years where I wasn’t a very good person. You wouldn’t have liked me very much.”

Kurt shrugged. “And my _biological_ father was a murderer and very likely a child molester. But unlike you and your mother, I share his genes. If that doesn’t worry you, your past doesn’t worry me. I _know_ what kind of person you are _now._ I’d like to think we both can rise above our upbringings.” And in his case, his very _genetics._

“You have,” Jane assured him fervently. “You’re a good man, Kurt Weller.” The man who had captured her heart without even trying with all the little kindnesses he had shown her and everyone else he came in contact with. Particularly the kids on their cruises. Her heart had melted the first time she saw him take a budding ship's captain to the bridge to help "navigate" the ship.

“So have you,” he returned, leaning in to kiss her again, and this time Jane didn’t resist. There was more to her story, but it could wait. All that mattered right now was her and him, and the tale they were weaving together.

Jane rested her head on Kurt's shoulder when the kiss ended, relishing their newfound intimacy and reluctant to leave the shelter of his arms. "If we're going to sell the story of just being friends, we should probably get moving," she murmured eventually. "Rich and Boston are waiting on us, and I wouldn't put it past Tasha to be watching us from the ship with a telescope.

Kurt chuckled as he reached for Jane's hand, and they started down the beach. "She's quite a character. I’m not sure who it will be tougher to fool, her or Rich.” He hesitated, realizing she hadn’t exactly agreed to his plan yet. “If you’d rather not do this . . .”

Her money was on Zapata, simply because she was closer to them. Her proximity, combined with her keen observational skills, could prove . . . problematic. “Actually, I have a few ideas about that.”

The two of them spent the remainder of the walk working out details and laughingly speculating about how their friends would react, quieting as they approached their destination so that Rich wouldn’t overhear them, but as it turned out, that precaution was unnecessary. They came to a complete stop as they rounded a bend that obscured the ship from view, and both their mouths dropped open as they took in the scene before them.

Rich was nowhere to be seen, but it was clear that he had been—or someone doing his bidding. A small, open-sided tent had been set up on the pristine white sand not far from the water, the blanket beneath it held down by an array of pillows and a large picnic basket. As they walked closer, they could see a bowl of fruit and a bottle of champagne on ice as well. “I think we’ve been had,” Kurt chuckled as he spotted a white square of paper on the small table at the head of the makeshift bed. Jane rested a hand on his shoulder and leaned in close as he unfolded it, and they both read it together.

_Stubbles, Janie:_

_Sorry for the subterfuge in getting you here, but I think we can all agree it was necessary. You’ve had more than long enough to get your act together, but judging from what Boston has heard from the_ Orion’s _crew, that wasn’t going to happen on its own. The boat will return right here for you this evening, so you won’t have to waste any more energy walking. I suggest devoting it to more . . . pleasurable activities. I’ve provided you with a variety of gourmet snacks to keep up your strength in the meantime. Enjoy!_

_Rich_

Kurt growled as he finished reading it. “That man never quits. He—what are you doing?” he asked, his voice rising an octave as Jane took off her wrap and let it fall carelessly to the sand beside the table, his eyes roaming hungrily over her exposed body. _God, she was beautiful._

Jane shrugged. “Rich said we should devote our time to pleasurable activities.” She lowered herself to the blanket and began arranging the pillows to her liking. She could feel Kurt’s intense gaze on her back, and it sent a thrill coursing through her veins. “I thought I’d take a nap.” She met his eyes as she laid down, and her blood heated even more at the desire she saw reflected there. “Unless you have something else in mind?”

Oh, he had something else in mind all right. Something far more _pleasurable_ than a mere nap. But given the newness of their relationship . . .” That depends,” he said in a far more gravelly voice than usual as he dropped to his knees beside her, “on how you feel about taking things slow between us.”

Jane shivered at the heat in his eyes. “Isn’t that what we’ve _been_ doing?” She grabbed a fistful of his shirt and pulled him down to her, desperate for the feel of his lips on hers again, for the feel of all of him against all of her. She slid her hands under the fabric as their mouths met, tugging him closer as her hands roamed over the smooth skin of his back.

“Jane,” Kurt whispered as she gripped his ass to pull him down flush to her, rocking her hips into his growing hardness, “are you sure you want to do this here? Now?” It was his every fantasy of her come to life, and then some, but he wouldn’t be able to restrain himself much longer, and he didn’t want her to have regrets.

She’d wanted this almost from the moment she met him. “I’m sure,” Jane reassured him as she reached for the bag he had dropped and extracted a condom. She hesitated, suddenly shy. “Unless you’d rather wait . . .”

Kurt smiled as he took the foil packet from her and placed it on the blanket next to him. “I think you’re right. I think we’ve waited long enough.” He reached behind her and gently untied the strings of her bikini top, exposing her top half to his appreciative gaze. He could have looked at her like this all day, but she had other ideas.

Jane sat up and tugged at Kurt’s shirt, wanting to level the playing field, and he obligingly removed it, his lips descending on hers again even as he tossed it aside. He brought a hand up to cup her breast, smiling when she moaned into his mouth, but that smile quickly died when she slipped her hands beneath the waistband of his shorts and wrapped them around his erection, stroking him gently. “God,” he groaned as she brushed her thumb over the tip. This would be over much too quickly if she continued doing that.

He stilled her hands and laid her back on the blanket, locking eyes with her as he painstakingly slid her bikini bottoms off and then slowly ran his hands back up her legs. He had dreamed of this moment for so long that he wanted to draw out the anticipation as long as possible. He parted her folds with one finger, smiling at how ready she was for him, and circled her swollen bud with his thumb as he inserted a finger inside her, pumping gently.

Jane had been ready for him since that first kiss on the beach, for most of the last six months, in fact, and she stopped him as she felt herself getting close, reaching for the condom he had set aside earlier. “I want you inside me,” she told him as she handed it to him. “Now.”

“Yes, ma’am,” Kurt grinned as he yanked off his shorts and ripped it open, only too happy to oblige. He quickly rolled it on and rolled back on top of her, lining himself up at her entrance before pausing to savor the sight of her beneath him, flushed and eager, her eyes alight with happiness and something else, something that looked an awful lot like _love._ He committed the moment to memory before pushing inside her, groaning as her slick heat enveloped him like a glove. He had never put much stock in destiny, but the feeling of homecoming was so strong that he couldn’t help but wonder if they were fated to be together.

Jane’s eyes filled with tears at the wonder in Kurt’s, and she smiled up at him as he attempted to brush them away. “Happy tears,” she assured him as he began to move, moaning at the incredible sensation. Despite her brave words the other night, she had all but given up on finding a man she could trust with her heart again until she met him. In fact, she had never trusted a man as deeply as she did him. It defied logic and reason, but it was just . . . right.

As right as what was currently happening between them. Jane ran her hands down Kurt’s back as he steadily increased the pace, feeling the pleasure build inside her until she was writhing beneath him, meeting him thrust for thrust and gripping his ass to pull him deeper into her. “Kurt,” she gasped out as he hit just the right spot inside her, white light exploding behind her eyes before everything went dark.

Kurt thrust into her one more time as she clenched around him and then followed her into oblivion, collapsing heavily onto her as pleasure overwhelmed him. He tried to lift himself off of her as sanity returned, but she wrapped her legs around him, holding him in place. “I’m too heavy,” he protested. “I’ll crush you.”

“You’re perfect,” Jane insisted, not wanting to lose their intimate connection just yet. Not when she had waited so long for this moment. “I love you,” she said without thinking.

Kurt froze as he looked down at her.


	7. Chapter 7

Jane kept her eyes trained straight ahead as the boat drew up next to the _Orion’s_ floating dock. She was seated only a few feet away from Kurt, but she felt that distance as acutely as if it were a million miles. She leaped to her feet the moment they stopped and disembarked without a backwards glance.

“Jane? Jane, wait,” Kurt called as she disappeared through the door and started toward the elevator. He got there just as the doors were sliding shut and barely managed to get a hand in to pry them back open. Neither of them spoke as the car ascended to the main deck. Jane shoved through the doors as soon as they were open wide enough, intent on getting away, but Kurt caught her arm. “Would you please stop running away from me? We need to talk.”

“No, we don’t,” Jane said bitterly, yanking free of his gentle grip as Zapata barreled toward them. “There’s nothing left to say.”

“Hey, guys,” Zapata said breathlessly as she skidded to a stop in front of them. “We need to talk.” She frowned as the tension between them suddenly registered. “What’s wrong?”

“Oh, nothing,” Jane spat. “Except that _Captain_ Weller here has the emotional maturity of a gnat. Although that may be an insult to gnats.” Kurt raised an eyebrow, and she glared at him. “He’s a condescending, insensitive, infuriating—”

“Man?” supplied a woman’s voice, and Jane swiveled to face the frosty gaze of an unfamiliar female standing next to Dr. Reade. “Let me guess. You’re my brother’s new girlfriend.” Her tone of voice made it clear that she was less than impressed.

“Brother?” Jane breathed just as Kurt said, “ _Sarah?_ What are you doing here?” and she felt her heart sink into her stomach. Oh god. Of all the times for his _sister_ to arrive . . .

“What? Can’t a girl drop in to visit her big brother?” Sarah asked lightly. She glanced from him to the woman he’d been arguing with to Zapata. “Granted, I didn’t expect you to be off on a date with your _girlfriend_ when I arrived . . .”

“I’m _not_ his girlfriend,” Jane responded automatically, wishing she could find a rock and crawl under it. This was _so_ not how she had pictured this meeting going. “And today _wasn’t_ a date. We were coerced into it under false pretenses.”

“Really?” Sarah arched an eyebrow, looking so much like her brother when he was displeased that Jane mentally quailed. “That’s not what Zapata here told me. Apparently the two of you are living together now?”

“Yeah, uh . . .” Kurt rubbed the back of his neck. “The ship was overbooked, so Jane is sharing my cabin for the week. I wish you’d called ahead. We’re going to be leaving port soon, and there’s no room for you and Saw—”

“Sawyer’s dad took him on a skiing trip this week,” Sarah informed him, shivering theatrically. “They invited me along, but I spend enough of the year freezing my ass off. I decided to go somewhere warm for a change. _Especially_ since my big brother hasn’t been home to see me in a while.” Six months, to be exact. The precise length of time, according to Zapata, since this mysterious _Jane Doe_ had hired on, though from what she had seen so far, the woman wasn’t worthy of Kurt’s time or interest. “And Ed’s already offered to let me share his cabin, so I’ll be able to stay aboard for the rest of the cruise.”

Of course he had. Kurt looked from his sister to a sheepish Reade and back, wondering for the umpteenth time just what the hell was up with the two of them. They had been pretty hot and heavy two years ago, and he’d even thought wedding bells were in the offing, and then one day they just . . . weren’t. Sarah had packed up and moved to Washington, ostensibly to be closer to Sawyer’s father, and neither one of them had ever mentioned the relationship to him again. He was surprised Sarah was willing to stay with him now. Apparently, desperate times really did call for desperate measures.

He belatedly realized that Sarah and Jane hadn’t been introduced. “Jane, this is my sister, Sarah. Her bark is worse than her bite, I promise. Sarah, this is my . . . this is our cruise director, Jane Doe.”

“Nice to meet you,” Sarah said as she shook Jane’s hand, sounding anything but pleased. Her bark was worse than her bite, indeed. They’d see about that. This woman might have pulled the wool over her brother’s eyes, but she wasn’t so easily fooled. It was a good thing she’d arrived when she had. Kurt deserved the best, and she was going to personally see to it that he didn’t settle for anything less.

“Nice to meet you as well,” Jane returned. She could see that Sarah wanted time alone with her brother. Probably to discuss how unsuitable she was for him. “I, uh . . . I should check in with my assistant after being away all day. Maybe we can talk more at dinner?”

“I’m looking forward to it,” Sarah assured her with a saccharine smile. She waited until Jane and Zapata were well out of earshot, Reade making a hasty departure as well, before turning to her brother. “What the hell was that?”

“What the hell was that?” Zapata demanded as soon as they were out of hearing range. “I sent you two off on a nice, relaxing—”

“ _Nice? Relaxing?”_ Jane laughed scornfully. “The day may have started off that way, but I found out soon enough that _Captain_ Weller’s not the Prince Charming I envisioned. He’s just as much of a toad as the rest of the male species.”

“ _Why?_ What did he do?” Zapata demanded desperately, alarmed at how quickly her and Rich’s perfect plan was going off the rails. He was _not_ going to be happy to hear of this latest development. And since she had come up with the idea for today, _her_ ass was on the line.

Jane’s eyes filled with tears. “I don’t want to talk about it. Let’s just say we’re all wrong for each other and leave it at that. I think I may ask Patterson if I can move into her cabin after all.” Since she was her only friend that didn’t already have at least one roommate.

Zapata made a mental note to make sure Patterson had an excuse at the ready. Whatever had happened today, these two idiots were meant for one another, and she was determined not to let them off the hook so easily. Although Jane’s next words made that task considerably more difficult.

“I think I may give Markos a second look,” Jane continued. “Now that I’m not blinded by my feelings for Captain Weller any longer. Would you come by the cabin later and help me pick out something to wear? I’ll be damned if I give that bastard the satisfaction of seeing me mooning over him anymore.”

She had to talk to Rich. _Now._ “Sure,” Zapata agreed with what little enthusiasm she could muster. “I’ll come by in about an hour, okay? But don’t give up on Weller just yet. I’m sure whatever he’s done is not as bad as you thi—” She shut up at the look Jane shot her. “Never mind. I can see you’re not ready to talk about it. I’ll see you later.” She beat a hasty retreat.

Rich was decidedly displeased by Zapata’s progress report, and nearly as upset to learn Weller’s sister was now aboard, a complication which might well hamper their efforts to fix the problem before the cruise ended. Especially since they had no idea what that problem _was._

But Jane’s behavior at dinner convinced him that whatever it was, it was far more serious than he’d originally assumed. She arrived in the shortest, most low-cut dress he’d provided her, one he’d assumed she’d never wear, and proceeded to flirt shamelessly with Markos throughout the entire meal, even going off with him afterwards for an after dinner cocktail. The one redeeming quality to the evening was the smoldering jealousy in Weller’s eyes. Clearly, whatever had happened between them, _he_ still wanted _her._

Now Rich just had to stop her from doing something stupid that would make him change his mind. Markos had been well briefed on what his role was to be on this cruise, but clearly it was time to revise those instructions. Without delay.

The cabin was dark when Jane finally entered, but the moment the door closed behind her, two strong arms encircled her, pulling her back into an equally firm chest. And that wasn’t the only thing that was hard.

“Do you have any idea how difficult it was for me to watch you flirt with that idiot in this dress all evening?” Kurt growled, his hands already slipping beneath the bodice to cup her breasts.

Jane moaned at the pleasurable feel, tipping her head back against his shoulder to give him easier access as he began to kiss down her neck. “I’m guessing it was harder than me pretending to be interested in what he had to say all night.”

“Much harder,” he assured her as one hand left her breast to slide beneath the hem of her dress and higher, until he reached . . . “Jane. You’re not wearing panties.” God, if he’d known that, he _never_ would have been able to restrain himself from throwing her over his shoulder and marching her back to their cabin—or the nearest secluded place they could be alone.

“They didn’t exactly work with this dress,” Jane gasped out as his fingers unerringly found the heart of her and began fanning the flames of her desire once more. Not that it took much effort. “Do you think Rich and Zapata bought our act?”

“Mmmhmm,” Kurt mumbled, not in the least interested in discussing their retribution at the moment. Or anything else. They’d made love three times already today, and he couldn’t wait to have her once more. He felt like a teenager all over again. “Jane. I need you.”

“I’m right here,” Jane assured him, needing him just as intensely. She turned in his arms as he hastily fumbled with the button on his pants, cursing the fact that he hadn’t thought to slip into something more comfortable while he was impatiently awaiting her return. He finally managed to shove them down and her dress up, and she wrapped her legs around his waist before reaching down to guide him into her.

They both shuddered at the incredible sensation. Kurt leaned in to kiss her fiercely as he pressed her against the wall, swallowing their combined moans before he began to move, plunging into her over and over with more haste than finesse. Jane met him thrust for thrust, just as desperate as him, and they cried out as one as their orgasms overtook them.

“Jane,” he murmured when he finally caught his breath. He framed her jaw with his hands, wishing he could see her face. Wishing she could see his as he told her . . . “I love you.”

“I know,” Jane told him. He’d shown her that all day long, both in words and in actions. “I love you too.” She smiled as he lowered her until her feet touched the floor, and she wrapped her arms around him, laying her head on his chest to hear the reassuring steady beat of the heart that now belonged to her. “I have to admit, you did make me a little nervous there this morning. I thought it might have been too soon to say—”

“Never,” Kurt interrupted. He’d been stunned by her words at first, but he was glad to know where he stood with her. Especially since he felt the same way. “I’m so glad you did. I’ve never been . . . the best at communicating with my past girlfriends, but with you . . . I don’t why, but it’s different. Easier. I’d like us to always be honest about what we’re thinking and feeling.”

“Me too,” Jane agreed. She let him tug her over to the bed, and they shed their clothes before crawling beneath the covers. She sighed as she cuddled up to him. “Your sister doesn’t like me very much.” She hated that Sarah’s first impression of her had been . . . that.

“She will once we tell her what’s going on,” Kurt reassured her. “I invited her for breakfast in the morning so we can fill her in. Trust me, she has a great sense of humor, and she can keep a secret. In fact . . .” A slow smile spread across his face as an idea occurred to him. “She may just be able to help us with our plan . . .”


	8. Chapter 8

“I appreciate your letting me stay with you,” Sarah told Reade again as she followed him into his cabin. “I know I should have called ahead, but I really wanted to surprise Kurt, and the _Orion_ has never been fully booked before when I’ve come.”

“If you ask me, Rich had something to do with that,” Reade told her. “I’d be surprised if all the guests are paying customers. I think he orchestrated that and then brought along a couple friends to force Jane to give up her cabin and move in with your brother.”

Sarah frowned as she took a seat. “What’s the deal with the two of them anyway? Kurt’s never mentioned her to me, and I have to say, I’m not very impressed with what I’ve seen so far. Not just the fight when they returned, but . . .” She hesitated. “Is Jane the type of woman to use other men to make her current boyfriend jealous?”

“ _Jane?”_ Reade scoffed at the very idea. “Not a chance. That’s not her style. If she has a problem with you, she’ll tell you up front. She doesn’t play games.”

“Okay, but . . .” Sarah filled Reade in on what she’d seen at the dinner table, how Jane had flirted incessantly with Markos while Kurt glowered, barely sparing a glance at her brother even though she was seated next to him. “Do you think she’s just not as interested in Kurt as everyone thinks, or . . .?”

To say that Reade was stunned by this information was a huge understatement. If he didn’t know Sarah so well, he would be questioning her perception of events. “In the six months, she’s been here, I’ve never seen Jane look twice at a man _other_ than your brother,” he told her. “She’s . . . not the type of person to let many people close, but the circle of friends she does have, she’s really tight with. She’s also incredibly loyal and stubborn as hell. I was there the day she met your brother, and the moment they shook hands, it was just . . . instant electricity. I’ve never seen anything like it, and trust me, she’s smart enough to know how rare it is as well. I can’t see her throwing away the potential for something extraordinary like that on some guy she’s only just met.”

Sarah bit her lip, somewhat reassured by Reade’s words, but still not convinced. “Look. If you have concerns about their relationship, I think you should talk to Kurt about it. Right now . . .” He perched on the edge of the bed and leaned forward, taking her hands in his, “. . . right now I’d like to talk about what went wrong in _our_ relationship.”

“What’s to talk about?” Sarah shrugged. “One day we were happy, and the next you were telling me you didn’t love me and breaking up with me. Seems pretty straightforward to me. Besides, that was two years ago. What difference does it make now?”

“I, um . . .” Reade hesitated and then decided to lay all his cards on the table. If life had taught him one thing, it was that it didn’t often offer second chances. He might never have this opportunity again. “I want a relationship with you, Sarah. The truth is, I never stopped loving you, I just—” He broke off as she began shaking her head.

“No!” Sarah said fiercely. “You don’t get to tell me this now, Edgar Reade. I _begged_ you to talk to me at the time, to tell me what was going on, and you refused. You—”

“I was trying to protect you!” Reade shot back. “Sarah . . .” He ran a frustrated hand through his hair as he shot to his feet and began to pace. ‘You know I didn’t . . . grow up with much, so when I was offered a scholarship to medical school, it seemed like an answer to prayer. I was so grateful for the chance I didn’t look into it like I should have. It turns out it wasn’t a legitimate scholarship, but was paid for by a mysterious group who expected me to provide free medical care as needed for its members. By the time they approached me, I had already been working on the _Orion_ for several months. I had already . . .” his voice dropped, “. . . met you.”

He paused to let that sink in. “As you can imagine, they weren’t too happy when I declined their job offer. They threatened you . . . threatened _Sawyer._ I broke up with you to protect _both_ of you. If anything had happened to either one of you because of me, I never would have been able to live with myself. Eventually, they agreed to allow me to repay them and find themselves another doctor, but by then, you were gone.”

“And did you?” Sarah asked. “Repay them?”

“I started to,” Reade told her. “But a few months after I began making payments, I saw the man who had been collecting the money on the news one night when we were in port. He was a member of an international arms-smuggling ring that the FBI had just taken down. According to the news report, they busted the entire operation, but I went to the meeting site a few more times to be sure. Nobody ever showed.”

He waited for a response, but Sarah seemed to be struggling to process all that he had just told her. It was a lot to take in, he knew. “I, um . . . I wanted to tell you this a lot sooner, but you had moved and weren’t taking my calls any longer, and I didn’t know how to find you. I thought about asking Kurt, but . . .”

“Yeah, that probably wouldn’t have gone over too well,” Sarah agreed with a rueful smile. Her brother would have beat the hell out of him if he had confessed this. Not just for breaking her heart . . . but for putting her and Sawyer in danger in the first place. Even unknowingly.

“I am . . .” Reade shook his head. “I’m so incredibly sorry about all of this, Sarah. I know I don’t have any right to ask you to take a chance on me again, but I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me. I’d like for us to at least be friends.”

“You’re . . . you’re going to have to give me some time here, Ed,” Sarah said softly, looking away from his pleading eyes. God, it was just so hard to be mad at him now that she knew he’d been suffering too, but she was still angry that he hadn’t trusted her with the truth, hadn’t allowed her to have a say in _their_ future.

Reade nodded slowly. “I can . . . there’s a cot in my office. I can sleep there tonight if you’d prefer.”

“I think that would be for the best,” Sarah told him, looking away as his shoulders slumped, forcing herself to stand her ground. It would be all too easy to fall back into bed with him, but that wouldn’t be fair to him—to either one of them—until she figured out where to go from here.

She tossed and turned most of the night as she wrestled with that question and arrived at her brother’s door bleary-eyed and miserable, a stark contrast to Jane’s cheery demeanor and put-together appearance as she opened the door.

“Hi,” Jane greeted awkwardly as she stepped back to let Sarah inside. She’d been _so_ hoping Kurt would return before his sister arrived. “Umm . . . Kurt went out a little while ago to get us some breakfast. He should be back any time. Why don’t we take a seat out on the balcony? Is there anything I can get you while we wait?”

 _What she would really like was some alone time with her brother,_ Sarah thought as she shook her head. She hadn’t had more than five uninterrupted minutes with him yesterday. Then again, perhaps this time alone with Jane would be . . . fortuitous. “So,” she began as she settled into the seat nearest the railing, “what’s up with you and my brother? Because according to everyone I talked to yesterday, the two of you are practically destined for one another, but you seemed rather . . . out of sorts when you returned yesterday.”

“You can say it,” Jane said with a laugh. “I was being a complete bitch.”

“You were not,” Kurt corrected loyally as he approached, and both women’s heads swiveled to face him. They hadn’t even heard him enter. “You were just _acting_ like it.” He set the tray of food he was carrying on the table and leaned down to give Jane a quick kiss before settling into the seat next to her.

Sarah’s eyes narrowed as she glanced between them, noting how Kurt dragged his chair as close as possible to Jane before sitting down and how she automatically leaned into him, her expression that of a woman genuinely in love. And judging by the look on her brother’s face, he felt the exact same way. “Wait. So that fight yesterday . . . your behavior at dinner last night . . .”

“Was totally faked,” Kurt assured her. “Well, maybe not all of it.” He smiled at Jane as he wrapped an arm around her shoulders. “I _was_ genuinely jealous that my new girlfriend was flirting with another man. But Rich’s reaction made it all worth it.” He chuckled at his sister’s stunned expression. “Well, how would you react if _your_ boss hatched an underhanded scheme to get you together with someone?”

“Exactly the same way,” Sarah admitted with a Machiavellian grin. “But man, you guys really sold it.” She shook her head a little as she looked at Jane. “Maybe you should give up cruise directing and take up acting. I really thought . . .”

She’d sold harder parts. “Thanks. I think,” Jane said with a laugh. “But I’m pretty happy right where I am.”

“Hey.” Kurt pretended to be wounded. “Only _pretty_ happy?” He knew for a fact that she’d been much more blissful than that when he’d left their bed this morning.

“Completely, totally, and utterly overjoyed to be where I am,” she assured him, speaking of much more than just her career. She would happily flip burgers for the rest of her life if it meant going home to him every night.

Sarah smiled as the same expression was reflected on her brother’s face, putting to rest any lingering fears she had about the two of them. It was clear that she was going to be welcoming Jane to the family before long—no doubt sooner rather than later, knowing her brother. “So. I assume there’s more to this counter scheme of yours. What are you guys going to do next?”

“Actually,” Kurt grinned as he and Jane leaned forward, exchanging glances, “we were hoping you could help us with that. Here’s what we want to do . . .”


	9. Chapter 9

“Have you seen Jane yet this morning?” Zapata asked Reade as she leaned against the rail next to him. She’d been looking for her since she arrived on deck, but though Jane was usually one of the first staff members up and about, she hadn’t seen any sign of her. She hoped that meant that she had made up with Weller and wasn’t a portent of worse things to come.

Though she honestly didn’t see how things could get much worse. She grimaced at the memory of her meeting with Rich last night. To say he had been displeased was a _major_ understatement. She still couldn’t figure out what had gone wrong. She’d been so sure that all Jane and Weller had needed was a little time alone together to talk, and the sight of her in that bikini would do the rest.

“Nope,” Reade replied. “Sarah mentioned that she was having breakfast with Weller in his cabin this morning, so maybe Jane decided to join them.”

“After yesterday’s fight?” Zapata scoffed. “Not likely. Plus, when I talked to Rich last night, he said she was all over Markos at dinner and totally ignored Weller.”

“Yeah, Sarah mentioned something about that, but I . . . Wait, what?” Reade’s eyes narrowed as her words registered. “Why were you talking to Rich about Jane last night? Out with it, Tasha,” he scolded as her expression turned sheepish.

“I may have been . . . helping Rich try to get them together,” Zapata muttered. “What?” she demanded at his disapproving look. “ _Everyone_ knows Jane and Weller belong with one another. We were just . . . hurrying things along. And Jane _asked_ for my help. She _did!”_ she insisted when he raised an eyebrow in disbelief. Well, her _advice,_ at least. She shook her head. “I just don’t understand what went wrong. The two of them were so hot for one another, I thought sure some time alone on a secluded island in a tropical paradise with Jane in a skimpy bikini would take care of the rest.”

“Let that be a lesson to you, Tasha,” Reade said sternly. “Never meddle in other people’s affairs.” Now he knew why she’d been so eager to place that bet on the two of them getting together. She’d thought she had an inside track to influence the outcome. If her interference hadn’t had such disastrous consequences for two people he cared about, he might have found it amusing. As it was, he hoped they found a way to move past whatever had caused their falling-out. Because they truly did belong together.

Just as he did with Sarah. Reade sighed as he recalled their conversation from last night, the wounded look in Sarah’s eyes as she learned the truth about why he had pushed her away. He couldn’t blame her for being angry, but he’d really been hoping . . . He sighed again.

“That’s the second time you’ve sighed like that in as many minutes,” Zapata commented, momentarily distracted from the problem of how to get Jane and Weller back together by his troubles. “I take it things did _not_ go well in the long-overdue reunion between you and Sarah.”

Reade glared at her. “No,” he pronounced flatly. “You are _not_ meddling in my love life as a distraction from the mess you’ve already caused. I’ve got enough problems already, Tasha.”

Zapata sniffed. “I wasn’t going to interfere,” she assured him. She had her hands full enough already. Though if the opportunity presented itself to give Sarah a little nudge in the right direction, she certainly wouldn’t turn it down. “But I’m here if you need to talk.”

A listening ear certainly couldn’t hurt right now. “I told Sarah what happened two years ago, and that I wanted another chance with her,” Reade confessed. “She, uh . . . she said she needed some time to think it over, and asked me to sleep in my office last night.”

“She kicked you out of your _own_ cabin?” Zapata knew she shouldn’t find that quite as hilarious as she did, but she restrained her mirth with an effort at his affronted look. She’d known there was a reason she had always liked Sarah Weller.

Reade nodded. “Right before she left, she asked me where I saw our relationship going if she did agree to give it another try. How it would work now that she lives in Portland.”

“You’d have to move there,” Zapata said slowly, happy and sad all at once, suddenly struck by the realization that she would be losing her best friend. “Long-distance relationships never work.”

“I told her I’d be willing to do that,” Reade admitted. “To give up this job and set up a practice out there. I just . . .” He shook his head. “I’m tired of being alone, Tash. And she’s the only woman who’s ever tempted me to settle down.”

“Want some advice?” Zapata asked, and he hesitated before nodding slowly. What could it hurt at this point? “The fact that Sarah’s asking you that means she’s seriously considering it, but your lack of trust in her has to still sting.” She’d told him over and over that he needed to go after her as soon as the threat was eliminated. “You need to grovel. Big time. Flowers, candy, jewelry, the whole nine yards. Don’t just tell her how much she means to you: _show_ her.”

Not a bad suggestion. Reade smiled at her gratefully, his mind already hard at work on deciding just how to enact that plan. “I’ll do that, Tasha. Thanks.”

“What are friends for?” Zapata joked. She was just opening her mouth to give him one last piece of advice when Weller approached, looking as grim as she had ever seen him.

“Reade. Zapata,” Weller greeted, drawing on the expression he had worn at his bastard of a father’s funeral for the part he was playing. “Have either of you seen Jane this morning? I was hoping to—”

“Hey, Tasha, can you—” Jane broke off as she approached mere seconds after Kurt. She gave him a stiff nod. “ _Captain.”_

“Jane.” Weller looked at her pleadingly. “We need to talk. _Please.”_

Jane’s eyes softened marginally, and Zapata held her breath. But just when her friend appeared to be on the verge of giving in—

“There you are!” Sarah exclaimed, deliberately inserting herself between Jane and her brother. “I’ve been looking all over for you, Ms. Doe. I was hoping you could tell me about the entertainment options available on this cruise. It’s been so long since I’ve had a vacation without my son that I want to enjoy every minute of it.”

“Of course,” Jane responded, her eyes hardening once more as she started to turn away. “If you’d come with me to my office, I’d be happy to go over the schedule with you.”

“That’s terrific. Thank you,” Sarah told her, and the two women walked away, seemingly oblivious to the disbelieving and angry stares in their wake.

Weller’s shoulders slumped, and he walked away without another word. “What the hell was that?” Zapata hissed as she turned to Reade, reconsidering her opinion of Sarah Weller. “If she didn’t just do that deliberately to separate her brother from Jane, I’ll jump off this ship!”

Reade rubbed the back of his neck. The last thing he wanted was to get involved in a catfight between Zapata and Jane and Sarah, but he had a feeling he was about to get caught in the middle. And he’d thought his biggest challenge for the remainder of this cruise would be wooing Sarah back to him. “Yeah, I, uh . . . I probably should have mentioned that Sarah isn’t Jane’s biggest fan after yesterday. She thinks she’s . . . all wrong for her brother.” _Not nearly good enough_ had been Sarah’s exact words, but he refrained from mentioning that to Zapata.

Though judging from her expression, she had a pretty good idea of that. “I’ll talk to her,” he promised hastily before she could launch into the rant clearly on the tip of her tongue.

“You’d better,” Zapata said icily. “No, scratch that. Don’t just talk to her, find a way to _better_ occupy her time. Because if she interferes between Weller and Jane again, I won’t be responsible for my actions.”

Of all the nerve. Sister or not, the woman wasn’t even a _paying_ passenger. What right did she have to monopolize Jane’s time? To pass judgment on her without all the facts? She stormed off before Reade could reply, but she would have been much heartened if she could have seen the two women a few minutes later. They dissolved into giggles the moment the door to Jane’s office was closed, hugging one another like old friends.

Kurt joined them a few minutes later, slipping into the office the moment the coast was clear. He instantly wrapped his arms around Jane, relishing the fact that he could now cuddle her close any time he wanted—well, _nearly_ any time—as he grinned at his sister. “If looks could kill,” he chuckled. “I thought I was going to have to restrain Zapata from going after you there for a minute.”

“Yeah, I could feel her death glare on my back as we walked away,” Sarah laughed. “She certainly is . . . passionate about getting the two of you together. How do you think she’s going to feel when she finds out she’s been had?”

Kurt shrugged. “Hopefully it will teach her a well-deserved lesson. Besides—” he looked closely at his sister, “we’re apparently not the only couple she’s trying to get together. I overheard her telling Reade to grovel to win you back right before I approached them. Care to elaborate on that?”

“Yeah.” Sarah sank into a chair, and their gazes changed from amused to concerned at her suddenly pensive expression. “Reade told me last night that he still loves me—that he never _stopped—_ and he wants me back.” She filled them in on the rest of what Reade had told her, adding, “A part of me appreciates that he was just trying to protect me and Sawyer, but I’m a grown woman. I feel like I should have had a say in the decision, or at least been apprised of the threat.”

 _It was the second time in as many days that he’d heard about arms dealers,_ Kurt thought, his expression turning even grimmer as he looked down and saw the look on Jane’s face. Clearly, she suspected or wondered if her mother had had something to do with it, but now was not the time to discuss that. He didn’t want to wade into a minefield like that with his sister without knowing all the details himself. It was pure speculation at this point, anyway.

“Want me to have a talk with Reade for you?” he offered, only half-joking. Whether or not his sister had needed to be apprised of the threat, he sure as hell had. The fact that nothing had come of the threat didn’t eliminate his ire that he hadn’t been aware of it. They were _his_ family. It was his _job_ to protect them.

Sarah shook her head slowly. “I appreciate the offer, big brother, but I need to handle this on my own. Trust me when I say Reade has tortured himself over what happened far longer than a beat-down from you would have lasted.”

“So what are you going to do?” Jane asked.

A slow smile spread across Sarah’s face. “I was thinking about giving him another chance, provided he agreed to take things slow, but if he wants to grovel . . . well, then, I should let him grovel, shouldn’t I?”


	10. Chapter 10

It was all Jane could do to keep the smile off her face as she went about her duties the rest of the day. Both Zapata and Rich had approached her begging her to hear Weller out and fix whatever had gone wrong between them, but she had stubbornly refused. Just as she continued to refuse to tell them exactly what the problem was.

She was helping some passengers on the main deck when she felt that same prickle of awareness between her shoulder blades that had dogged her since the first day of this voyage. She knew what it was, of course, though she hadn’t felt the sensation in quite some time. Not since the FBI had brought down her mother’s organization, in fact.

She was being watched.

Jane scanned the area with a deceptively casual glance as the passengers went on their way, but just as before, she couldn’t pinpoint the source of the feeling, and she shrugged it off. Probably just Rich studying her trying to figure out his next move. A small smile crossed her face at the thought. _If he only knew._

Zapata had panicked when Jane once again alluded to moving in with Patterson, and she went off in search of her as soon as their conversation came to a standstill. She found her on the bridge talking to some guy she vaguely recalled seeing her with several times lately. “Patterson, I need to talk to you. Now.”

“O-kay,” Patterson said with a laugh. “David, this is my friend, Tasha Zapata. You’ve heard me talk about her. Tasha, this is my boyfriend, David. He’s the new head of the IT department for the ship.”

“Nice to meet you,” Zapata said, eyeing him with interest as she shook her hand. They would need to talk about the fact that Patterson had a boyfriend she had never mentioned to them, but for now . . . “How would you feel about moving into Patterson’s cabin with her?”

“Tasha!” Patterson exclaimed, aghast. “You can’t just order our lives around like that. Have you learned _nothing_ from the mess you’ve made of Jane’s love life?”

Zapata frowned at her. “I’m trying to _fix_ it,” she informed her. “But you need to do your part to help me out. She’s about to ask you to let her move in with you, so you need a good reason not to do that. Ergo, David.”

David chuckled. “Patterson was right. You are a force of nature.” He smiled at his girlfriend. “Just for the record, I am not at all adverse to this plan.”

Patterson blushed. Neither was she, to be honest, but they had only been seeing one another a couple months. “Don’t you think that’s . . . a little bit sudden?”

“Oh, for heaven’s sake, I’m not asking you to make the arrangement permanent,” Zapata said impatiently. They would need to vet David much more thoroughly before _that_ happened. “Just for the rest of this cruise, so Jane doesn’t have _another_ excuse to avoid Weller. Look at it as a trial run for in case the two of you do decide to cohabit someday.”

“Fine,” Patterson said grudgingly. “But you owe me. And don’t think I won’t collect.” There were limits to even her niceness. Even if she _was_ grateful for the excuse to test the waters with David.

“Deal,” Zapata agreed so cheerfully that Patterson made a mental note to consult Jane when this was all over with. Clearly Zapata didn’t think she could come up with a punishment worthy of the crime—and she was probably right.

It was after four before she was able to track down Patterson, and Jane made a show of being disappointed at the news that she wouldn’t be able to stay with her friend. In fact, she did such a good job of it that she worried for a moment that Patterson would cave, and she stormed off before she could.

Kurt was waiting for her when she arrived at the cabin, and she flung herself into his arms just as he reached out to pull her to him, the two of them laughing a bit as she collided into his chest with a soft _oomph._ “I take it this means you missed me,” he teased as she pushed him onto the bed, pausing only long enough to strip off her blouse and skirt before following him down.

He opened his mouth to say something else, but he promptly forgot what that was when she covered it with her own and slipped her tongue inside, and the only words between them for the next few minutes were whispered endearments and moans of pleasure. “Not that I’m complaining,” Kurt said when he finally caught his breath, “but what was that all about?”

Jane shrugged a little as she shifted in his embrace and rested her head on his chest. “It’s just been . . . a long day, and I felt like someone was . . . watching me off and on the entire time. Throughout this entire voyage, to be honest.”

Kurt grinned at her. “Probably some poor sap who’s so awed by your beauty that he’s trying to work up the courage to ask you out on a date. Too bad for him your heart’s already taken.” She barely cracked a smile, and he raised up on one elbow. “Jane? If you’re really worried about this, I can have security—”

“No.” Jane shook her head. “Trust me, if this person is good enough to escape my detection, security won’t be able to spot them either.” Come to think of it, Rich Dotcom wasn’t nearly subtle enough to evade her eye either. It was _not_ a comforting thought. She could see that Kurt was now worried as well, and she brought her hands up to frame his jaw, mustering a smile to reassure him. “Besides, if this person ever does come out of the shadows, I am _much_ better equipped to defend myself than security, if need be. Shepherd had my brother and I trained by ex-Navy SEALs.”

“Shepherd?” Kurt asked. “That was . . . your adoptive mother?”

“Yeah.” Jane nodded. “If you can call what she did _mothering._ ” She had a feeling the majority of the civilized world would disagree with Shepherd’s definition of it. Heck, uncivilized people were probably better to their children than Shepherd had been to them. “I was . . . I was born in South Africa. My parents were murdered by the government for being anti-apartheid activists, and my brother and I were sent to an orphanage that specialized in turning children into soldiers. Shepherd was in the area for an arms deal a couple years after we were sent there, and she bought us on a whim.”

Kurt’s voice hardened. “I’m guessing she didn’t do that out of the goodness of her heart.”

“No,” Jane agreed. “She thought if she took us from there and raised us that we’d be so grateful to her that she would always have our unquestioning loyalty.” And she had, for a long time. Far _too_ long. Until her greed caused her to make a fatal error that came back to bite her in the ass. “The one good thing I can say about her is that she provided us with an excellent education.”

“That’s how you learned to speak all those languages,” Kurt surmised, and she nodded again. He’d overheard her talking to various passengers in their native tongues in at least three different ones. “And your brother . . . Is he . . .?”

“He’s dead, Kurt,” Jane said, a world of grief in those three little words, and Kurt hugged her tight. “And it was my fault. I . . . I got him killed. He died saving my life.”

Kurt felt tears fill his eyes as sobs shook her body. He ran his hands up and down her back as she cried, desperate to help her in any way he could but knowing that nothing could really soothe that kind of pain. He’d loved Taylor like a sister, and though he’d known she was likely dead for years, nothing could have prepared him for learning what had happened to her. There were still times he woke in the middle of the night, shaking just as Jane was now, still chilled by the horror of his father’s confession.

And so, he did for Jane what he’d always wished he had someone to do for him: he held her tight as she mourned and reassured her that her brother wouldn’t blame her for what had happened, that he had clearly loved her very much and wouldn’t want her to be sad. He shed more than a few tears himself as he did so, and in comforting her, he felt the painful pieces of his own past begin to heal as well.

For the first time he could remember, he saw light at the end of that very dark tunnel.

Time ceased to exist, and neither of them had any idea how long they’d lain there before they realized they needed to get up and ready themselves for dinner.

Kurt’s mind returned to what Jane had told him earlier as they dressed. “Do you think it could be someone from your mo—from _Shepherd’s_ former organization who’s watching you?” he asked as they dressed. He refused to call that woman Jane’s _mother_ a moment longer, and he would break her of that habit as well. Her mother had been the brave woman who died taking a stand for right. Just as Jane herself had apparently done.

“No,” Jane said slowly, shaking her head. “No, they’re all dead, Kurt. The FBI took down my—Shepherd’s organization two years ago, and the few members who didn’t get killed in the firefight have all since died in prison. I would still be in witness protection otherwise.”

“Well, I’m very glad you’re not,” Kurt told her tenderly as he leaned in for a quick kiss. “And that you survived.”

“Me too,” Jane assured him, and for the first time she meant it completely. There had been a part of her that had always felt guilty for being the one still standing, but that dark cloud had finally lifted, and in its place was pure . . . joy and a genuine excitement for the future.

She should have known the feeling wouldn’t last.

Kurt went on to dinner ahead of her, in keeping with their ruse, and by the time she arrived, their entourage was gathered around the table. Rich and Boston were regulars, of course, as were Markos and Cade and Sarah now that she had arrived, but each night the crew also singled out a few passengers to join them. It appeared those guests tonight would be two men and a woman.

Jane’s blood rushed in her ears as she approached the group, and they turned toward her. _It couldn’t be!_ Her smile felt frozen on her lips as Rich introduced the married couple, and she murmured a polite greeting, but she was hyper-aware of the other man the entire time. Rich announced his name, though no introduction was necessary to her.

He was Jonas Fischer.

Shepherd’s right-hand man.


	11. Chapter 11

Somehow Jane managed to pull herself together and hold out a hand to Fischer, when what she really wanted to do was use her training to wipe that smirk off his face. “Mr. . . . Fletcher, is it?” she said, using the name with which Rich had introduced him. “Nice to meet you.”

“It’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Ms. . . . Doe,” Fischer returned, his cold eyes roaming her form with grim satisfaction. It had taken him so long to track her down that he could hardly believe they were finally standing face-to-face. He’d begun to believe the rumors that she really was . . . dead.

But he knew for a fact that a woman like her wasn’t easy to kill.

 _I wish I could say the same,_ Jane thought grimly as she took her seat. She should have known that cockroach would somehow escape his fate. “So . . . Mr. Fletcher,” she asked once they had all been served, “are you enjoying your voyage so far?” She was determined to show him that she couldn’t be cowed.

Fischer smiled at her. Remi always had been a feisty one. He was going to enjoy taking her down a peg or two. “The Orion certainly has its . . . charms,” he said smoothly. “I’m afraid I haven’t seen a great deal of the ship yet though. I was hoping I’d find a shipmate to spend time with, but so far I haven’t met anyone who shares my interests. Perhaps after dinner you could give me a tour?”

“That’s an excellent idea!” Sarah approved, playing the part they’d assigned her to perfection, having no idea that Jane would rather walk barefoot over broken glass.

 _Something wasn’t right here,_ Kurt thought as Jane quietly acceded to Fletcher’s request. Her smile was a bit strained, and there was a look in her eyes he had never seen before. A look that chilled him to the bone. He glanced at Rich Dotcom and saw a similarly dark expression in his eyes as he watched Jane. _What the hell was going on?_

The conversation continued, and Jane took part in it without missing a beat, though she could never afterwards recall what they had talked about. Several times throughout the meal, she saw Fischer’s malevolent gaze linger on Kurt or Sarah, and she gripped her steak knife so tightly her knuckles turned white. She was relieved when the meal ended, anxious to get that snake away from her loved ones and find out what the hell he wanted.

“Jonas Fischer,” she said levelly as soon as they were out of earshot of anyone. “I hope you don’t mind my saying I’d hoped never to lay eyes on your ugly mug again. Suffice it to say, rumors of your death were greatly exaggerated. DNA even confirmed it, as I recall. How’d you manage that?”

“Oh, you know,” Jonas returned with a casual shrug. “I invited a bum about my height and weight to stay in my apartment when I began to have doubts about your loyalty and made sure the only toothbrush and hairbrush the authorities would find were the ones he used. Then I started bringing him along to work with me, and left him in the arsenal when I knew it was about to blow up. Child’s play, really.”

Jane felt a chill snake down her spine at the cold-blooded way he described an innocent man’s death. “So why come here now? What the hell do you want?” She kept her hands at her sides, apparently relaxed although in reality she was very much on a hair trigger ready to react, though she didn’t think she’d need to. Fischer had always preferred to let others do his dirty work for him, and if his objective was to harm her, he was smart enough to know not to try it up close. “Give me one good reason I shouldn’t toss your ass overboard right now.”

Jonas smiled thinly. “And risk ruining your future with the good captain? Oh no, my dear. I doubt very much you would do that.”

Jane fought to keep her voice steady. “You’ve been misinformed. There is _nothing_ between Captain Weller and myself. We’re not even on speaking terms at the moment.”

Jonas chuckled. “You may have been able to sell that bill of goods to your newfound friends, Remi, but I’ve known you since Shepherd rescued you from that hell-hole of an orphanage—for which I never did think you showed proper gratitude, by the way, and I told her so more than once—and I can see right through this charade you’re enacting. No, you love Weller. The question is, what will you do to keep him?”

“My name is Jane,” she corrected icily, hating the memories that other name evoked. “And I ask you again, Fischer: what the hell do you want?”

“Right down to business,” Fischer sighed. “Some things never change.” He himself preferred to toy with his quarry as a cat would with a mouse. “Fine. Business it is. You give me Shepherd’s money, and I’ll let you live. Which I think is an exceptionally generous offer, given how you betrayed us.”

“Are you cra—” Jane became aware of just how loud her voice was and lowered it an octave. “Are you _crazy?_ I don’t have that money. The FBI seized it all when they shut the operation down.”

“Oh, my dear.” Fischer smiled at her patronizingly. “Do you take me for a fool? I know _exactly_ how much Shepherd was worth—and according to my source within the FBI, they didn’t seize even half that.”

Jane stared at him in shock. “You didn’t know.” Well, that complicated things.

“I have amnesia,” Jane reminded him. “The few memories I have managed to recover had _nothing_ to do with Shepherd’s financial dealings, I assure you, Fischer. If that money does exist, I have _no_ idea where it is.”

“That’s unfortunate,” Fischer said without any real pretense of sympathy, still reeling from the news that Remi had no idea where the money was. Somehow, it had never occurred to him that she wouldn’t know. “In that case, you have until the ship returns to port to recall where it is. Or accidents may start to befall your loved ones—excuse me, the people you care _nothing_ about.

“And don’t even think about coming after me,” he added as she took a menacing step toward him. “If one hair on my head is harmed, _my_ friends will see to it that every one of _yours_ pays for it with their lives.

“See,” he said, laughing coldly at her suddenly stricken face, “this is why you should never allow your life to become complicated by _feelings._ You were a much more interesting challenge before, _Remi._ Now you’re so easy to manipulate that it’s hardly worth my time. I’ll expect to hear from you soon.”

He tipped an imaginary hat to her as he turned away, and Jane watched him go before heading to her own cabin, hardly able to breathe, her thoughts in turmoil as she tried to figure out her next move. God help her, she had thought the dangers of her past were far behind her, or she never would have put more innocent people in danger.

Neither of them was aware of the dark-clad figure above them who had watched their entire meeting with narrowed eyes.

Jane was ashen when she entered the cabin, and Kurt instantly rushed to her, taking her hands in his and noting with concern that they were freezing despite the tropical climate. “Jane? What the hell is going on? You and Fletcher know each other, don’t you? Who is he?”

“His real name is Jonas Fischer,” Jane said dully as she took a seat on the end of their bed. “And he was one of Shepherd’s . . . lieutenants, for lack of a better word. Her right-hand man, really. Suffice it to say, the two of us never really got along.” She filled him on what Fischer had told her, adding, “Even if I knew where that money was, I don’t trust him to keep his word. I don’t care what he does to me so much, but you guys . . .”

“Don’t you dare say that, Jane!” Kurt ordered desperately, kneeling in front of her and giving her shoulders a little shake. “We’re partners now, remember? A team. I finally found the right person to put up with my stubborn self, and I am not about to lose you. We’ll figure this out together.”

“But it’s my fault you’re in this mess in the first place,” Jane reminded him. “If I hadn’t come into your lives . . .”

“If you hadn’t come into my life,” Kurt said tenderly, “I would still be a lonely, grumpy sea captain who was convinced he’d never find a woman who could love him enough to overlook his occasionally overbearing ways.”

“ _Occasionally?”_ Jane teased even as she was warmed by his words. She had expected doubts about their relationship, recriminations about the danger she had put him and their friends in, anything but the genuine understanding and acceptance she found in his eyes. She looped her arms around his neck. “I love you, you know.”

“I know,” Kurt told her, squeezing her hands gently. “I love you too, Jane.” He moved up to sit beside her on the bed and pulled her into his lap. “So let’s figure out a plan. There has to be a way out of this.” His brow furrowed. “Fischer mentioned you betrayed him, and earlier you said the FBI shut down Shepherd’s operation two years ago. Was this . . . were these the same people who threatened Reade?”

“I don’t think the FBI shut down two major international arms-smuggling rings in that time frame,” Jane admitted wryly. “Though I wasn’t . . . I never knew about Reade, and I wasn’t privy to any of the . . . inner workings of the organization at that point.” It figured that of all the men in the world, she got involved with the one whose sister’s love life had been ruined because of them. She could sense his confusion, and she sighed as she slid off his lap. “I should probably start at the beginning, huh?”

“I think that might be a good idea,” Kurt said quietly, catching her hands as she rose and began to pace, “but, Jane . . . nothing you tell me will change how I feel about you. Okay?” She gave a tiny nod, and he rose, moving to the head of the bed and pulling her down until she was cuddled up next to him, her body sprawled half on top of his. “There. That’s better. Now we can talk.”

Jane nodded and took a deep breath before launching into her story. “It began four years ago when we were in Afghanistan to sell some automatic rifles to a local warlord. Or so I thought . . .


	12. Chapter 12

_Remi laughed as she ran down the dusty street, playfully kicking the worn soccer ball back and forth with the local children. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d had the opportunity to take part in such a simple pleasure, and she was glad Shepherd hadn’t required her presence at these negotiations. It was such a beautiful morning that she’d walked down the hill to the small village and promptly joined in the game. She didn’t think she’d ever been as carefree as these kids, and it was nice to lose herself in the moment._

_They’d been playing for about half an hour when Shepherd’s Jeep came barreling down the hill, Oscar behind the wheel and Roman beside him. Their faces were grim. “Time to go, Remi,” Roman said harshly, all but tossing her into the seat between them. They hadn’t gone half the distance when she saw an RPG being launched, and she turned just in time to see the street where she had just been playing—where the children were_ still _playing—explode behind them._

_“No!” Remi fought desperately to get free, to run to help them, but Roman held her fast as Oscar gunned the vehicle._

“In all, six RPGs were fired by the time we reached the camp,” Jane said dully. “Apparently, the warlord had a beef with one of the men in town, and he decided testing out the weaponry we were selling him on the village would be a good way to resolve it. None of . . .” Her voice broke, and she took a deep breath before she could go on. “None of the children survived.”

Her eyes were damp as they met Kurt’s stunned gaze. “That was the day I started becoming _Jane,”_ she told him. “My birth parents named me Alice, and I took the name Remi when Shepherd adopted us—my brother Ian became Roman—but I didn’t feel like either of those people any more. I’d . . . I’d seen people die before because of weapons we sold, but growing up the way I did . . . I was pretty much desensitized to it. I always told myself that it was just bad guys killing bad guys. But that day, Kurt, those _kids . . ._ they were so little and innocent and _good._ And I couldn’t understand how their deaths didn’t bother anyone else. How Oscar and Roman could just drive away knowing what was about to happen to them.”

“Roman was . . . your brother,” Kurt murmured, and Jane nodded even though it wasn’t really a question. “Who was Oscar?”

Jane drew a deep breath. “Oscar was . . . he was a trusted member of our inner circle. Shepherd recruited him after he received a dishonorable discharge from the Marines for participating in a barroom brawl in which a man was killed. And he was also . . .” she hesitated, “. . . my fiancé.”

“I see.” Kurt glanced away, struggling to process all that she had just told him. It was a lot to take in. “Did you love him?” he asked when he finally met her eyes again.

Jane shook her head. “I didn’t know what love was back then, Kurt. I cared about him as much as I was able, but I wasn’t . . . _me_ then. No, you’re the only man I’ve ever truly _loved._ ” And Oscar certainly hadn’t loved her. Or rather, his loyalty to Shepherd had outweighed whatever affection he felt for her.

“I love you too,” Kurt reassured her, feeling the tension in her body as she awaited his response, and he ran a hand up and down her back to soothe her. “More than I’ve ever loved any woman. And that’s never going to change.” She shuddered softly as she exhaled the breath she had been holding. “You said you thought you were there to sell guns . . .” he prompted eventually when she didn’t resume speaking.

“Yeah.” Jane drew in a shaky breath. “That was really all Shepherd dealt in up to that point. She had been talking for months about expanding into bigger weaponry, but Roman and I were opposed to it. We were making plenty of money on the guns, and we didn’t see any reason to risk the added scrutiny when we already had more than we could spend in our lifetimes.” Her voice hardened. “But I guess for Shepherd, it just wasn’t enough. Or maybe it was the thrill she was chasing, the prestige of selling bigger weaponry.”

“That’s human nature,” Kurt said softly. “Unfortunately.”

“Yeah.” Jane smiled, but there was no humor in it. “I never cared enough to ask her _why_ she had done it. All I could see were the faces of those twelve dead children. They haunted me, especially at night when I closed my eyes.” Still did, sometimes. “It was almost as if I’d been sleepwalking through life up until that point, and suddenly I was wide awake.” And for a person who had spent most of her life feeling little to nothing, it had been agony.

“So what did you do?” Kurt asked.

“At first, nothing,” Jane admitted. “Loyalty had been so ingrained in me at that point that the thought of betraying my family was . . .” She shook her head. “I went back and tried to pretend that nothing had changed, to go about my business as usual, but I couldn’t get the faces of those children out of my mind. Logically, I knew I hadn’t been responsible for what happened to them, but it still felt as if I was, and I knew . . . I knew if I _didn’t_ act, more innocent lives would be lost.

“So . . .” Jane shifted to a sitting position and drew her knees up to her chest. “I started trying to figure out how to extricate myself and Roman from this mess—and Oscar too, since I was still convinced I loved him at this point—and leave Shepherd to hang for her crimes. I reached out to a hacker I had met online a few years back and asked him to get me the name of an FBI agent who was above reproach. He responded in under an hour with the name Cole Bryant, so I . . . on my hacker friend’s advice, I sent Agent Bryant a burner phone so we could communicate.”

“And you started giving him the location of these sales,” Kurt guessed.

“Eventually,” Jane agreed. “I started small, just the location of an arms cache here and there, in order to build trust on both sides. My goal was to take down Shepherd without the three of us winding up in prison for the rest of our lives, and I figured I would need to build up quite a bit of goodwill to get a deal like that.”

“I’m guessing it didn’t work out like you planned,” Kurt surmised.

“No.” Jane’s mouth twisted in a wry smile. “The best-laid plans of mice and men, and all that. I was careful to have the FBI bust the buyers after the sale was complete, but Shepherd figured out the leak was coming from our end much sooner than I’d anticipated. And since Agent Bryant and his team were the common denominator in all the raids, she knew who was getting the intel.”

Kurt’s brow furrowed. “But she couldn’t have known which member of the team the mole was passing information to,” he theorized. “And I’m guessing Bryant didn’t know who you were anyway. So trying to get information out of them would have been useless.” Not to mention foolhardy. Grabbing and torturing an FBI agent would have meant a death sentence.

“Yeah . . .” Jane drew out the word. “Which is why she decided to send _me_ to _them_ instead.” She couldn’t restrain her laugh at the shocked expression on Kurt’s face. “That was pretty much my reaction as well. But from her view, it made perfect sense. Roman and I were the only two people in the world she trusted completely, and I was more . . . adept at persuasion. And she thought a female would be more sympathetic as a victim.”

Kurt frowned. “A victim?” That was the last thing he could _ever_ picture Jane being.

Jane nodded. “That’s how I got amnesia. Shepherd, umm . . . she decided that the best way to proceed was to give me an experimental drug that erased memory and send me to the FBI . . . to Agent Bryant. That way, they’d have a mole on the inside who could get that information, and she could simultaneously use the FBI to take out several competitors. It was a win-win from her point of view.”

“She wanted you to erase _your entire life?”_ Kurt asked in disbelief. “To forget her? Your brother? Everyone and everything you’ve ever known? How could she do that? How could _you?”_

“I didn’t really have much of a choice,” Jane said with a wry laugh. “Nobody really said no to Shepherd. And as it turned out, she did me a favor.” She sobered at his questioning look. “Just because I was ready to turn my back on arms dealing didn’t mean I automatically morphed into a good person, Kurt. In all likelihood, if the memory wipe hadn’t happened, once I took down Shepherd, I probably would have turned to some other form of crime. It was all I knew. But getting that clean slate, working with Agent Bryant and his team and learning from their example . . . it completed the transformation that those children’s deaths began. It made me into who I am today.”

Kurt pulled her back into his arms. “In that case, I’m grateful as well. But I still don’t see how Shepherd thought her plan was going to work if you couldn’t remember who you were, much less what your mission was. Even if you were able to find out who the mole was, she had to know you probably wouldn’t trust them enough to pass it on. What did they plan to do, threaten you?” He paused. “And how did she plan to get the FBI to take out her competitors for her?”

“They tattooed me,” Jane told him, and he glanced at her in confusion. “I had them removed when I was put in witness protection,” she explained. “They were . . . too distinctive to keep.” Not that she had wanted to anyway. “The tattoos were cryptic clues that when deciphered led to these other arms dealers. I didn’t object to that part of the plan. From my perspective, it would just save more innocent victims. And yes, they did use threats to try to get me to cooperate with them. Not against me, but Agent Bryant and his team, once we had become friends.”

Kurt swore under his breath. He had never hated anyone more, not even his father. Shepherd made Bill Weller look like a choirboy. “Except you _were_ the mole,” he pointed out. “The flow of information would stop when you went undercover.” Making it obvious who the leak was. “What did you do about that?”

“I told Roman the truth,” Jane admitted. “He was so angry at first I thought he was going to kill me, but that was mostly just due to fear of what Shepherd would do to me if— _when—_ she found out. Once he calmed down, I was able to convince him to help me in order to divert suspicion for a while, but he made it clear that it was going to stop. But he agreed to continue making the dead drops for a while and to pass along a letter that I had written myself explaining what was going on.”

Kurt sucked in a breath as everything suddenly came into sharp focus. “You said Roman died saving your life. That you had gotten him killed. That’s how, isn’t it?” he asked, tenderly cupping her jaw as tears flooded her eyes. “Shepherd discovered Roman was the mole, and instead of outing you, he took the blame for it and she killed him.

“Pretty much,” Jane told him. “Except that it was _Oscar_ who figured it out, not Shepherd. He publicly sided with Roman and me when we urged Shepherd not to expand the business, but privately . . . privately he was playing both ends against the middle. We were the only two who had been against the expansion, and the leak started shortly after, so he figured it had to be one of us. And since the leak continued after I was sent undercover, he felt certain it was Roman.”

She smiled humorlessly. “Apparently, I was a better actor than I thought. We both were, I guess. We were sharing a bed, planning a _life_ together, and neither of us had a clue what the other was up to. I was so . . . so distraught at first after those children died and so busy pretending _not_ to be affected, and then later so busy making plans of my own to take down Shepherd and make sure her scheme didn’t succeed before I infiltrated the FBI, that I missed all the warning signs about what he really was. Maybe if I hadn’t . . .”

“You can’t think like that, Jane,” Kurt said gently. “I’m sure Roman wouldn’t want you to blame yourself.”

“No, I know,” Jane agreed. He had told her so at the end, urged her to find happiness. He would be thrilled to know that she had finally done so. “He’d have liked you.”

“I wish I could have met him,” Kurt returned. “Maybe we could visit his grave together sometime? I’d like to thank him for keeping you safe for me.”

The smile that lit Jane’s face this time was genuine, albeit brief. “I’d like that.” She took a deep breath, knowing there were still a few loose ends to her story she needed to tie up when a knock sounded on the cabin door. She glanced at the clock and then at Kurt, but his face told her he was just as puzzled as she was. They’d been talking for quite some time; it was now well after eleven. Much later than was the norm for someone to drop by.

She got to her feet as Kurt started toward the door, pasting an appropriately hostile look on her face in case it was Rich Dotcom on the other side of it.

An ashen-faced crewmember was waiting on the other side. “Captain Weller, sir. Ma’am. Mr. Dotcom sent me to get the two of you. There’s been an accident . . .”


	13. Chapter 13

Jane and Kurt exchanged shocked glances, and it was clear that the same thought was foremost in their minds: Fischer’s threat. “What happened?” Kurt demanded of the hapless crewmember as they raced down the corridor to the elevator.

“Someone fell overboard, Captain.” The man spread his hands helplessly as Kurt’s look begged him to elaborate. “That’s all I know at this point.”

The ship was turning around as they arrived on deck, and the rescue boat was being deployed. Fortunately, most passengers were already in their cabins for the night, but a panicked few huddled around watching. Along with Rich Dotcom and his entourage.

Rich strolled over to them as soon as he spotted them, apparently unfazed by what was going on. “Oh good,” he said, noticing that Jane was still wearing the dress she’d had on at dinner. “I’m glad that you weren’t dragged out of your nice warm bed for such a . . . minor inconvenience.”

“I’d hardly call a person falling overboard a minor inconvenience, Rich,” Kurt expostulated, relieved that none of the passengers were near enough to hear him. The man really needed to learn to guard his tongue. He could feel Jane’s fear radiating from her even several feet away, and he desperately wished he could put an end to their damned ruse and just hold her. Instead, he gave voice to the question on both their minds. “Do we . . . do we know who it is yet?”

“That Fletcher fellow we had dinner with,” Rich said in a tone of voice that made it clear _he_ still considered this a nuisance. “And no one _falls_ overboard on my ships, Weller. The man jumped. I saw him do it myself.”

 _No way in hell,_ Jane thought, but she bit her tongue with an effort. Jonas Fischer was too much of a narcissist to do the world such a favor as ridding it of his presence, but until she figured out just what _had_ happened—and what the hell her next move should be—she wasn’t about to risk linking herself to Fischer.

“He probably didn’t even survive the fall,” Rich continued in such a bland tone of voice that Jane’s eyes narrowed as she studied him. For a man so . . . invested in other people’s lives, he was incredibly calm at the moment. _Too_ calm. If she didn’t know better, she would think . . . She pushed the thought from her mind as Rich went on.

“But I understand there are protocols to follow.” Rich nodded to the rescue boat now speeding off in search of Fletcher. “Your first mate—Patterson, isn’t it?—already notified the proper authorities, and they’re en route.” He shook his head. “Poor man. He was just commenting at dinner how lonely he was, but I didn’t think he’d do something like this.” He looked at Jane. “Did he give you any hint that he was suicidal when you took him on the tour of the ship after dinner?”

 _Homicidal,_ maybe. “No,” Jane replied, before deciding to stick as close as possible to the truth, adding, “But we didn’t take a tour of the ship. We had only just gotten started when we stopped to talk for a few minutes, and then he changed his mind about the tour and went back to his cabin.”

“He was an odd one, if you ask me,” Rich commented. “Positively no sense of humor. It’s no wonder he didn’t have any friends.”

Jane’s brow furrowed. That flew in direct contradiction to what Fischer had said when he’d threatened her. “How do you know he didn’t—”

“Oh my dear, men like Fischer—excuse me, _Fletcher;_ I never was much good at names,” Rich corrected himself, hiding his smile when Jane and Weller exchanged wide-eyed glances at his deliberate slip-up, “—men like him don’t have _friends;_ they have associates who are paid to do their bidding. The downside to that, of course, is that when someone comes along who makes them a better offer, they can leave you hanging out to dry.” He winked at Jane.

 _Was he saying . . .?_ Jane’s emotions were in turmoil as she struggled to process her rapidly changing fortunes. Just a few minutes ago, she had thought that she might have no choice but to revert to her old ways, to take out Fischer and his cronies to protect her loved ones, and then spend the rest of her life behind bars, but now . . .

Now it appeared Rich had neutralized the threat for her. For _them._

Jane numbly leaned against the railing and watched as the rescue boat’s crew desperately searched for the missing man. She could feel Kurt’s eyes on her as he conferred with Reade, who had been summoned to treat Fischer if he were found alive, Sarah having accompanied him, and she longed for this to be over, to be able to return to the security and sanctuary of their cabin where she could avail herself of the comfort to be found in his arms.

“Congratulations,” Rich said as he came up next to her, and she raised an eyebrow on him questioningly. “On your and Weller’s relationship. Oh, don’t bother to deny it. The two of you have really had me going with this ridiculous charade of yours, but it’s obvious now that I look a little closer. You’re much more devious—and better actors—than I thought.”

“High praise, coming from you,” Jane returned, not making any attempt to deny his observations. Rich might think he had everything figured out, but they still had a few tricks up their sleeves. Or one big one, at any rate. “Your plan to get Kurt and me together was a stroke of genius.”

“Yes, well, I can’t take _all_ the credit for that,” Rich said even as he preened. “Your friend Zapata was a big help. But I like to think I did my part to look out for my friends.”

“And is that what you were doing tonight?” Jane asked quietly, making a mental note to have a long chat with Zapata the first chance she got. “‘ _Looking out’_ for your friends?”

Rich met her gaze innocently. “I’m sure I don’t know what you mean, Janie. I was simply out for a stroll tonight because Boston was off conferring with Chef Oliver about some special meals he wants to fix when I saw that poor man climb onto the railing and take his final flying leap.”

 _Just how close had he been when he saw that happen?_ Jane wondered, but she knew it would be pointless to ask. Rich had his story, and he was clearly sticking to it. And the better question would be _why_ he had done it anyway. Something else she would probably never get answered. But Rich surprised her when he resumed speaking.

“You don’t remember Markos, do you?” he asked. He smiled at her surprised look. “Yes, the two of you have met before. A long time ago, a _very_ long time ago. Before you became Remi.”

Jane stared at him. She’d shared most of the details of her past when she’d interviewed with him, but she’d never told him her name. “How did you . . .”

“Oh my dear, your hiring on with me was no accident,” Rich told her. “I’m a cruise line owner by profession, but my real passion is computers. I, er . . . well, let’s just say I may or may not dabble in hacking from time to time.”

“You’re . . .” Jane struggled to breathe. “Are you . . .?”

“AshwellCreekKennels, at your service,” Rich told her, referencing the user name he’d been going by when they first met on that online message board. Not that their “meeting” had been a coincidence either. “I’d been keeping an eye on you for some time when you reached out for help on there that first time, and I started keeping an even closer watch on you after you went undercover with the FBI. Once the last of Shepherd’s men died in prison, freeing you from witness protection, I hacked your phone and started sending you help wanted ads for my cruise line. You were a little slow on the uptake, but you eventually bit.”

How could she not? Those ads had been _everywhere_. Jane couldn't help but smile at the remembrance. “But how?” she asked. “ _Why . . .?”_

“Because of what you did for Markos,” Rich told her. “Oh, I know, you don’t remember, but _he_ never forgot. You stood up for him one day at the orphanage and took his punishment without hesitation. He wanted to thank you, but you were never seen after that day.”

Because Shepherd had bought them, Jane realized. She recalled Roman telling her once that Shepherd had chosen them because of her ability to take a beating without flinching, but she had never known what precipitated the punishment.

“Markos and Cade are more than just friends,” Rich continued. “They, er . . . occasionally act as bodyguards, and Markos saved my life about five years back when I was . . . well, we don’t need to get into that. Anyway, Markos had been trying to find out what happened to you for years, and he was aware of my, er . . . skill with the computer, so he asked me to try to see what I could dig up on you in lieu of a monetary reward. It took some doing, but I was eventually able to track down one of the few guards from the orphanage still living, and Markos . . . persuaded him to tell us what had happened to you. We’d been trying to figure out how to extricate you from Shepherd’s control for a while when you took matters into your own hands.”

“Everything okay over here?” Kurt asked, keeping a respectable distance from Jane, but giving Rich a hard look as he approached. The two of them had appeared to be having a pretty intense conversation for quite some time.

“Just fine, Stubbles,” Rich assured him. “And there’s no need to stand that far away from the little missus here on my account. I know the two of you have kissed and made up—or you would have if you were actually fighting.”

Kurt simply raised an eyebrow, refusing to give Rich the satisfaction of so much as an affectionate look between them to confirm he was right. At least not yet. Jane gave him an almost imperceptible nod, and he relaxed slightly. He was just about to speak when the walkie talkie in his hand crackled to life.

“Captain? They found Mr. Fischer,” Patterson told him. “But it sounds like he’s in bad shape. He’s drifting in and out of consciousness, and the medic on board thinks he may have severe internal injuries. He doubts he’ll last through the night.”

“Well, that’s unfortunate,” Rich said, and Kurt narrowed his eyes, suspecting he was referring more to the fact that Fischer had survived the fall than the news his death was imminent, but he didn’t have time to worry about that now. He motioned Reade over as the boat approached.

Fischer was unconscious as they lifted him from the boat onto a stretcher, and the group gathered round as Reade began to assess his injuries. “Wait a minute,” Reade said, startled, as he got a good look at Fischer’s face. “I know this man. He—”

They were all a bit startled when Fischer’s eyes flew open. His gaze landed first on Rich Dotcom, and his eyes widened almost fearfully before moving on to Reade, then Sarah and Kurt, and finally Jane herself. “Congratulations, Remi,” he rasped out. “I guess you win, after all. You’re definitely . . .” He coughed, and a spasm of pain crossed his face. “Definitely not as boring as I thought. I underestimated you.” He coughed once more, and then he was gone.

Jane felt like sinking through the deck as two sets of very confused eyes turned to her.


	14. Chapter 14

Jane was thankful for the solid warmth of Kurt’s hand in hers as the somber group made their way to the _Orion’s_ meeting room. Sarah and Reade understandably wanted answers about why Fischer had addressed her as _Remi,_ and Rich had elected to tag along as well. None of them really wanted him, but they could hardly refuse him since he was the owner of the ship.

Sarah got right to the point as soon as they had all taken their seats. “How did you know Fletcher? He acted like he’d never met you at dinner. And why the hell did he call you _Remi?”_

“Yeah, I’m kind of curious too,” Reade chimed in. “Especially since that man has supposedly been dead for two years. He was going by a different name when I knew him, but he was part of an arms dealing ring that the FBI busted two years ago.”

“Jonas Fischer,” Jane said softly.

“Yeah.” Reade stared at Jane. “How did you . . .? You were part of it, weren’t you? The arms smuggling operation. That’s how Fischer knew you, and why he called you by a different name.”

“Yes,” Jane admitted. She gave them an abbreviated version of the story she had told Kurt earlier, adding, “Oscar shot Roman before I could stop him, and I . . . I grabbed his gun away and shot him when he came at me. The FBI burst in and took out Shepherd before she could shoot me, and Roman . . . my brother died in my arms.” But not before telling her to go on and live life, to be happy. Kurt’s hand tightened on hers in wordless sympathy.

“God, Jane. I am so sorry.” Sarah’s eyes filled with tears as she struggled to process all that she had been told. It was a lot to take in, but she was in awe of her future sister-in-law’s strength and resilience. A lot of people would have been put off by learning of Jane’s past, but to her it only confirmed that Kurt had made the right choice. Jane would be able to understand him in a way no other woman ever could. “What . . . what happened after that?”

“I was in witness protection for a while,” Jane told her. “But all the remaining members of Shepherd’s organization were killed in prison before I had to testify against any of them.” And given what had happened tonight, she couldn’t help but wonder if those fights had been orchestrated as well.

“From arms dealer to cruise director,” Reade observed. “That’s quite a career change.” Sarah frowned at him, and he hastened to add, “I’m not judging. I’m just curious what made Jane decide to pursue this path.”

“When I . . . when I dropped the gun that day after shooting Oscar, I realized I never wanted to pick one up again,” Jane told him. “I wanted something far removed from any reminders of my old life, and helping happy families on vacation seemed about as far away from that as I could get.”

“And Jane came clean with me about all of this before I hired her,” Rich told them. He would have hired her regardless, as a favor to Markos, but her brutal honesty had left him in no doubt that he was making the right decision.

“But Fischer somehow managed to fake his own death and come after you,” Reade guessed. His eyes narrowed as he studied Jane. “He doesn’t seem like the type to take his own life. What did he want from you?”

“Shepherd’s money,” Jane said quietly. “He was pretty upset when I told him I knew nothing about it. He gave me until the ship docked to remember where it was, or he threatened to start hurting the people I care about. And you’re right, Reade. He definitely gave no indication that he was suicidal.”

“And just for the record, Jane has been with me in our cabin for well over an hour,” Kurt interposed. “And the crewmember who notified us saw her. So there’s no way she had anything to do with Fischer’s death.” He wanted to nip any suspicions that she could’ve had a hand in it in the bud immediately. He was relieved to see Reade’s face lighten instantly. The last thing he wanted was the friction in his family that would come from Sarah getting involved with a man who thought the woman he loved was a killer.

Sarah shuddered. “I don’t care why he did it; I’m just thankful that he did.” That her brother and Jane could have the happiness, the _future,_ they deserved, and their family wouldn’t have to look over their shoulders for the rest of their lives. “So . . . what happens now?”

“We’re getting into port tomorrow,” Kurt told her. “Normally, if the local morgue is sufficient, we transfer bodies to them to return to the States, but in this case . . .”

“I think it would be best if we kept Fischer on board until we returned home,” Rich interposed. “He’s already been presumed dead for so many years that if he had any family, they’ve already grieved him and moved on. And Agent Bryant should be informed. You’re still in touch with him, correct?” he asked Jane.

“Yeah,” Jane said. “I usually have dinner with him and his family at least twice a month. I’m supposed to go there the night we get into port, in fact. But I’ll give him a call from the island tomorrow.” She and Sarah had already made plans to go shopping there.

“Maybe I can go with you when we get back,” Kurt suggested. “To dinner. I’d love to meet Agent Bryant.”

He would love to meet Kurt too. He’d been encouraging her to bring him by for a while. “I’d like that. I’ll let him know you’re coming when I talk to him.” And share her other big news with him. He was going to be so happy for her.

Sarah looked from them to Rich. “So he, uh . . . knows?”

“That the two of them were faking their breakup to get back at me for interfering?” Rich supplied. “I do.”

“Not _just_ you,” Jane interposed. “Zapata, as well.” Come to think of it, she deserved the comeuppance even more since she was Jane’s _friend._ A slow smile spread across her face as she looked at Rich. “Care to turn your attention to her?”

“What did you have in mind?” Rich asked, intrigued.

“Do you have a problem with that, Ed?” Sarah demanded before Jane could answer. He had been squirming in his seat and looking very uncomfortable.

Reade opened his mouth to respond, but shut it with a snap at Sarah’s pointed glare. Clearly, that would be a deal breaker for any chance of them as a couple. “Nope. No problem. I’m staying out of this.” Zapata might be his best friend, but she couldn’t say he hadn’t warned her that meddling in other people’s lives would come back to bite her in the ass. Just not quite in the way he had thought it would.

“Well,” Jane said mischievously, “she does seem to have a thing with your friend Cade . . .”

“Say no more.” Rich grinned. “I’ve been telling Markos and Cade it was time they found themselves someone special and settled down.” He’d noticed Cade in the lounge the other day when he went to talk to Zapata, but he hadn’t thought anything of it. “I think Zapata would be perfect for Cade, come to think of it.”

They tossed around several ideas, Reade shaking his head as he listened, torn between disbelief and amusement. It was nearly one in the morning by the time the meeting broke up, and Jane fell asleep almost as soon as her head hit the pillow. She had a big day ahead of her tomorrow.

She awoke to the smell of coffee. Kurt was already dressed, and he leaned down to kiss her as she stretched. “Morning, sleepyhead. If you can tear yourself out of bed, there’s just enough time for the two of us to have breakfast together before you need to get ready to go.”

That sounded too good to refuse, so Jane slid out of bed and followed him out onto the balcony. He set the food down before taking the seat next to her. “So . . .” he said once they’d eaten a few bites of food, “Sarah asked me something interesting yesterday. She wanted to know what we saw the future holding for us as a couple. If we’re going to keep sailing the world, or . . .”

“Settle down in a nice house with a white picket fence and a big yard and have a couple of kids?” Jane finished. She had meant the remark to be flippant, but she realized even as she spoke how nice it sounded. And judging by the longing on Kurt’s face, he thought so too. “I never thought that would be possible for me, but I have to admit, it sounds good.”

“It sounds _perfect,”_ Kurt corrected. “And let’s face it, we’ve already been a bit lax with the birth control. So maybe we just . . . start looking for the right place and keep sailing the world until you get pregnant?” And they would be quitting the moment they found out she was. He wasn’t about to let Jane be so far away from adequate prenatal care if she needed it. “That will give us time to figure out our new careers.”

“Sounds like a plan,” Jane agreed. “But whatever we decide to do—” she reached for Kurt’s hand and threaded her fingers through his, “—I want us to do it together.”

“So do I,” Kurt told her. Rich Dotcom might have played Cupid and sped the process up, but it was pretty clear that fate had meant for them to be together. Far be it from him to go against that. “And we will.”

_Always._


	15. Chapter 15

Zapata was waiting for Jane when she arrived on deck the next morning. “Hey. Have you had a chance to talk with Weller yet?” she demanded.

“Good morning, Tasha,” Jane said evenly. “Nice to see you today.” Zapata returned the greeting, but arched a brow, clearly determined to stick to the original subject. “No. I haven’t talked to him. We were a little busy last night, obviously, and Sarah Weller asked Rich to let me go shopping with her today, so . . .”

“That woman,” Zapata hissed. “I’m going to have a serious talk with Rich today. She’s deliberately trying to keep you and Kurt apart.”

Oh, she was going to be having a serious talk with Rich today, all right. But she and Kurt wouldn’t be the main topic of conversation. Jane hid her smile as Sarah approached. “Morning, Ms. Weller. Ready to go?”

“Yes,” Sarah said in the frostiest tone she could muster. God, she would be glad when they could end this charade. She nodded stiffly to Zapata, pretending not to hear the other woman’s loudly muttered “Bitch” as she swept past her.

It wasn’t until they were halfway to the island that she allowed herself to relax. She glanced over at Jane, saw the amusement on her face, and dissolved into giggles. “Zapata’s face,” she gasped. “If she only knew what we were _really_ up to today . . .”

“Thank god she didn’t.” Jane winced at the thought. There would have been no restraining Tasha from coming with them—and no dealing with her when she did. Fortunately, by now she should be . . . otherwise occupied. Or soon would be.

Rich waited only until he saw the boat with Jane and Sarah depart before making his move. “Ms. Zapata,” he greeted as he rounded the corner and came face-to-face with her. “We need to talk. Come with me?”

“We sure do,” Zapata spat as she fell into step beside him. “Sarah Weller is becoming a serious problem. We’ll never get Jane and Weller together if she keeps interfering. She—Where are we going?” she asked as he pushed the button for the floor with the staterooms rather than the main deck. “I have to be at work in an hour, and—”

“Don’t worry about that,” Rich assured her. “I have it on good authority that your boss won’t fire you if you’re a few minutes late.” Or in this case, a complete no-show. “I need to stop by Fletcher’s cabin. I asked Cade to oversee the boxing up of the poor man’s belongings, and I want to make sure that everything is going . . . smoothly.” He watched her closely as he mentioned Cade’s name. She hid her emotions well, but there had definitely been a brief flicker of interest. Jane had been right on the money with her observation.

Zapata returned to her diatribe against Sarah Weller. Rich tuned her out, but allowed her to vent her frustration as they walked, nodding at what seemed like appropriate times. “After you,” he said as he opened the cabin door for her. She stepped inside and he quickly made his move, slamming it shut behind her and applying the special device that would keep the door locked. He smiled to himself as he heard the outraged yell as Zapata realized what he had done.

 _What the hell?_ Zapata wondered as she began banging on the door, but she froze when she heard a deep groan behind her. She took several more steps into the room and was confronted by a very familiar form sprawled on the bed. _“Cade?”_

Cade groaned again as he reluctantly cracked open one eye. How much had he had to drink last night? The last thing he remembered was Rich coming by their cabin for a drink early this morning and then . . . “That son of a bitch,” he swore as he realized Rich must have drugged him. He could drink both him and Markos under the table any day.

“What the hell is going on?” Zapata demanded. “Why would Rich lock us in here?”

“We’re locked in here?” Cade propped himself up on one elbow and gave a short bark of laughter at her nod. “Pretty sure he didn’t do that on my account, sweetheart. One of your friends must have convinced him to turn his matchmaking efforts on you. So . . . who’d you tell about us?”

“Just Jane,” Zapata told him. “But she wouldn’t have . . .” Her voice trailed off.

“Right,” Cade said sarcastically. “The friend who’s been the focus of Rich’s undivided attention on this cruise wouldn’t try to distract his matchmaking efforts by getting him to concentrate on someone else. Of course not.”

Zapata frowned as she conceded the validity of his words. When she got her hands on Jane . . . “So how long do you think he’ll keep us here?”

“Judging from the supply of food on the table over there, and the number of bottles of water . . . I’d say we’re here for the duration of the cruise, sweetheart.” Cade patted the bed beside him. “Come on over here. You may as well make yourself comfortable while we wait.”

Zapata cast him a withering look. “I am _not_ having sex with you right now.” _Or ever again,_ her frosty tone implied, though that might be a difficult vow to keep. Cade had that bad-boy charm that she had always found irresistible, and as she’d told Jane, the sex _had_ been fantastic.

“No problem, honey,” Cade said as he sank back down into the pillows. In truth, he’d been thinking of little else since their last encounter, but he knew better than to admit that to a woman like Zapata. The harder he chased, the faster she would run. “Just don’t expect me to give up the bed. You can share it with me, or you can sleep on the couch. Your choice.”

“Such a gentleman,” Zapata mocked, and Cade laughed.

“Never claimed to be, honey. And face it, that’s why you like me so much. Now if you’ll excuse me—” he pulled the covers over his head and wiggled until he was comfortable, “I’m going to sleep off the rest of this hangover.”

Zapata couldn’t help but admire his easy acceptance of their situation. It was all she could do not to pace like a caged wolf. With a sigh, she dropped down onto the couch. She wondered what Jane was doing right now . . .

xxx

Jane was having a fantastic day. Shopping had never been a favorite activity of hers, but in this case, she was making an exception. She had gotten the call to Bryant out of the way first thing, and now she and Sarah were strolling from shop to shop, admiring the local craftsmanship and buying more than their fair share of trinkets as they got to know one another.

They chatted and laughed over lunch as Sarah regaled Jane with stories of Kurt as a boy and shared the progress of Reade’s fumbling attempts to win her back before they got down to the more serious purchases of the day, and by the time they caught the last boat back to the ship, they were more like long-lost sisters than women who had just met a couple days ago.

Kurt was lounging out on the balcony when she arrived, watching as Patterson guided the ship out of the busy harbor and back out to sea, and Jane grinned as she dropped her bags and went to join him. “Hey,” he said when he saw her. “Did you guys have a good time?” He lowered his voice slightly even though there was no one around to hear them. “Get everything we need?”

“We did,” Jane confirmed as she swung a leg over the chair and straddled him. She couldn’t wait to show him, but first . . . “There was . . . one thing missing, though.”

“Oh, yeah?” Kurt murmured, leaning up until his lips were mere inches from hers. “What’s that?”

“You,” Jane said as she closed the remaining distance between them and kissed him with abandon. “God, I love you,” she said as she stood back up and yanked off her clothes, thankful they were now far enough out to sea that she could do this without fear of being seen. Kurt lifted his hips, and she divested him of his shorts as well before settling back on top of him.

“I love you too, Jane,” Kurt returned as he cupped the back of her head to draw her down for another kiss, swallowing her moan as his other hand unerringly found the heart of her desire, and he inserted one finger, then two, pumping gently as his thumb circled her sensitive bud. In no time, he felt her breathing quicken, her muscles clenching around him, and he drew back to watch her as she crested the wave with a soft moan. God, he’d never seen anything more beautiful. He was never going to get tired of watching her as long as he lived.

Jane smiled down at him as she placed her hands on his shoulders and rose up to take him deep inside, impaling herself on him. She rocked her hips into his, and he rose to meet her, hitting just the right spot inside her. One stroke, two, three, and then . . . “Kurt,” she cried out softly as she came again, her second orgasm as unexpected as it was intense.

He placed his hands on her hips to steady her as he thrust into her several more times before joining her, heart racing as he collapsed back against the chair, Jane draped bonelessly atop him.

Kurt smiled against her neck when he finally came back to earth. She hadn’t moved a muscle, and he stroked a hand up and down her spine, feeling her practically purring with contentment. “Jane,” he mentioned eventually. “We really should get up and get dressed for dinner.”

“Don’t wanna,” Jane grumbled. “Can’t we just stay here like this?”

“Sure,” Kurt agreed, his smile widening when she lifted her head just enough to flash him a surprised look. He had never been one for cuddling, but with her he thought he loved it as much or more as the actual lovemaking. “I’m sure Rich will make our excuses to the guests. But what do you say we move this to our actual bed? This chair isn’t all that comfortable.” Although he was looking forward to a repeat performance in it in the future.

Jane considered that for a long moment before she nodded, pushing herself to her feet. Kurt followed suit and swept her up into his arms, laughing at her surprised shriek as he carried her inside. He leaned down so she could pull back the covers and slid them both underneath without relinquishing his hold on her.

Neither of them let go of the other the entire night.


	16. Chapter 16

Zapata was pacing again when Cade awoke, and he cracked one eye open reluctantly to look at her. “You’re going to wear out the carpet if you keep that up.”

She put her hands on her hips as she glared at him. “How can you just sleep the day away when we’re _prisoners?”_ she demanded.

Cade shrugged philosophically. “It’s not like we’re locked up in a hole somewhere being starved and beaten for information. We’re in a cushy stateroom with a nice bed and plenty of food. I’ve been in worse spots.”

“Oh, yeah?” Zapata asked curiously as she dropped onto the bed beside him. “Where?”

Nowhere he cared to remember. “Here and there,” Cade said, and then, sensing she needed a distraction, he elaborated, “I was an Army Ranger for a few years. Now I do freelance work. Bounty hunting, bodyguarding, stuff like that.”

“Ah,” Zapata said. “That explains the bad boy vibe you give off.”

Cade nodded. “You’re not the first to be attracted by that, honey.” Though she was the first he was disappointed hadn’t seen past it. There was something about Tasha Zapata that peaked his interest in a way no other woman ever had. He was getting too old for the endless round of short-term flings and one-night stands that had been the norm for him for a decade; in fact, until he’d fallen into bed with Tasha, it had been months since he’d slept with anyone, and he’d only done so with her because he thought they might have a shot at something more. Something _real._

He should have known it was too good to be true.

“But it doesn’t explain why Rich locked me in here with you,” Zapata continued. “Surely he knows you’re not . . . interested in his matchmaking efforts.”

Cade raised himself up on one elbow. “Is it really so difficult to believe I might be interested in settling down with the right woman?” Her face gave him his answer. “Wow. Thanks for the vote of confidence.”

“It’s not that you’re not a great guy,” Zapata hastened to reassure him. “I just can’t picture you with the whole white picket fence and 2.5 kids.”

“Oh, god, me either,” Cade agreed. “But just because I’m not cut out for the domestic life doesn’t mean I wouldn’t like to find one woman to share my life _with._ I confided that to Rich a while back, which is why he must have hatched this cockamamie plan. But don’t worry, sweetheart. We’ll be back in port in a couple of days, and then you’ll never have to see me again.”

Zapata stiffened as she realized that for the very first time, that was the last thing she wanted. She’d made a point to hold her men at arm’s length every since one of her first boyfriends had mistakenly assumed that she would want to give up her plans to see the world to mother his children, but what Cade was proposing sounded incredibly appealing. “What if I want to see you again?”

Cade hesitated as he studied her. “I’m not looking for a short-term fling here, Tasha. If you’re not interested in a real relationship between us, don’t waste my time.”

“I am,” she said quietly. “I’m willing to give it a try, I mean. But this will be new territory for me. Just . . . don’t expect too much at first.”

Cade held out a hand. “The only thing I want right now is for you to relax and come lie down next to me.” She did so hesitantly, and he pulled her into his arms. “This is new territory for me as well, Tasha. I won’t be perfect at it, and I’m certainly not expecting you to be. But I have faith we can figure it out if we just talk to each other when something’s bothering one of us.”

“That sounds reasonable,” Zapata agreed. She rested her head on his chest, delighted to find that it fit there perfectly. “Care to help me plot revenge against Rich and Jane?”

“Nope,” Cade said. “The way I see it, they did us a favor. Besides . . .” He tilted her head up and leaned in until their lips were nearly touching. “I can think of a better way to work out your frustrations.”

His mouth covered hers, and Zapata was forced to concede that he was right.

xxx

“Mind if I join you?” Jane asked as she paused beside Markos’s table.

“That depends,” Markos said as he made a point of exaggeratedly looking around. “Will your boyfriend tear me limb from limb if you do?”

Jane chuckled. “No worries. He knows I was planning on having lunch with you. We don’t keep secrets from one another now that we’re a couple.”

Markos smiled. “I’m glad things worked out for the two of you. When Rich first approached me about coming along on this voyage to make Captain Weller jealous, I wasn’t too sure about his plan, but . . .”

“It worked out for the best,” Jane agreed. “And I’m very thankful you came. That we got to meet again. Even if I don’t remember our first encounter.”

“Yeah, Rich mentioned that you still hadn’t regained many of your memories when he told me he’d confided in you about our past. Though that’s probably for the best.” Markos sobered as he studied her closely. “I can’t tell you how many times I’ve thought about you over the years. I was thrilled when Rich finally managed to track you down, but I hated to hear where you’d wound up. And I am so, so sorry about your brother.”

“Thanks.” Jane’s smile turned sad. The worst of her grief at losing Roman had faded, but there would always be a hole in her life where he should be. And she would forever regret not regaining more memories of the two of them, even if those memories were less than pleasant. “So . . . Tell me about yourself. Where did you end up after the orphanage?”

“I was one of a group of kids that got taken to the US,” he told her. “Probably one of the luckiest ones, actually. I bounced around foster care for a while, but one of the soldiers who rescued us applied to be my foster parent, and he and his wife wound up adopting me. They had three kids of their own, so it took me a while to feel at home, but eventually I adjusted. My dad’s influence actually inspired me to go into the military. That’s where I met Cade, actually.”

“So how did the two of you end up working for _Rich Dotcom_ , of all people?” Jane asked. She flushed as she realized how that sounded. “I’m sorry, that was rude of me.”

“No, it’s a fair question,” Markos countered. “Rich can . . . take some getting used to. I’ll grant you that he can be overzealous at times, and his methods aren’t always . . . strictly legal, but everything he does, he does because he cares about people. And working for him has given me the opportunity to help others who are being abused like we were.” Sometimes those people were adults, but it was the children he found it most rewarding to assist.

“I’d like to do that,” Jane commented. “In a _strictly_ legal way, I mean.”

“Maybe you could start a self-defense school,” Markos suggested. “With your skills, you’d be a natural at it. You could give free lessons to kids who are being bullied, battered women, people who really need your help but can’t afford to pay.”

Jane was silent for a long moment as the suggestion sank in. “I like that idea.” And best of all, Kurt was skilled in self-defense training as well, so he could be her partner in the school. Just as they wanted. “I’ll definitely have to talk it over with Kurt.”

“Talk what over with Kurt?” Sarah asked as she approached, and their heads swiveled toward her. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to interrupt. I saw you sitting here, Jane, and I couldn’t wait to show you what Reade just gave me.”

She held out her arm, and Jane gasped at the sight of the diamond and gold bracelet on her wrist. “Wow. Reade is really stepping up his game.” He’d been wooing Sarah with everything from flowers and candy to candlelight dinners cooked by Oliver since she agreed to give their relationship another try.

“Here.” Markos got to his feet and gallantly held out his chair for Sarah. “Have a seat. I’ll leave you two ladies to chat. Jane, it was nice talking to you, and I hope we get a chance to do it again before the cruise is over.”

“I’d like that,” Jane agreed. She grinned at Sarah as he walked away. “So . . . when are you going to put Reade out of his misery?”

“I already did,” Sarah told her. “I know he’s genuinely sorry, and I think he’s groveled enough. Besides . . . it wouldn’t have been right to take this if I wasn’t serious about him.” She smiled faintly. “Though that means Mr. Dotcom will be looking for another doctor for the _Orion._ Reade went right in search of him to hand in his notice.”

Jane chuckled. “He may be looking for a new captain and cruise director as well.” She filled Sarah in on her conversation with Markos. “I’m not sure what Kurt will think about the idea, but—”

“He’ll love it,” Sarah hastened to assure her. “He—I assume he told you about Taylor?” At Jane’s nod, she continued. “It’s always haunted him that he couldn’t protect her, even though he was only a child himself. Trust me, teaching others to defend themselves will be right up his alley. I don’t suppose you’d consider moving to Washington to do it?” she asked hopefully.

“I’ll talk to Kurt about it,” Jane promised. New York had been her home base for a very long time, but she supposed one city was as good as another. She would miss Zapata and Patterson and Ana, but she would love to be able to get to know Sarah better. To be closer to her soon-to-be new sister.

“Good,” Sarah said, reaching a hand across the table to squeeze Jane’s hand. “Because I want to be nearby to watch my nieces and nephews grow up.” She was going to spoil them rotten. “Now correct me if I’m wrong, but I think we have a few more details to discuss . . .”


	17. Chapter 17

Jane didn’t get a chance to talk to Kurt until they returned to their cabin after dinner that evening. “So . . . Markos had an interesting suggestion at lunch today,” she said as she flopped down on the bed.

“Oh yeah?” Kurt asked as he took a seat beside her, his gaze roaming appreciatively over her body. God, he was never going to get tired of looking at her. Of having the freedom to touch her. “What was it?”

Jane filled him in on what she and Markos had talked about, as well as Sarah’s suggestion about relocating. “So. What do you think?”

“I think . . .” Kurt drew out the word. “Rich is going to be looking for another captain and cruise director very soon. And—” he stretched out beside her and leaned in for a lingering kiss, “—since we’re going to be land-based sooner than we planned on, we should probably get busy on the baby-making practice.”

“I thought that’s what we had been doing,” Jane pointed out just as his lips trailed down her neck to a particularly sensitive spot, and she gasped out, “Kurt!” Her head lolled to the side to give him easier access, and she felt him smile against her neck before he worked his way back up to claim her lips again.

His parted slightly as he kissed her, and she instantly took the opportunity to deepen the kiss, tangling her tongue with his until they were forced to break apart for air. She sat up, panting slightly, and Kurt reached up to unzip her dress before setting to work on his own clothes. He had just yanked off his tie and unbuttoned the top button of his shirt when Jane placed a hand over his to still his progress.

“Let me,” Jane whispered, having quickly shed her dress. She straddled him and began slowly and methodically undoing the buttons, dragging her fingers down his chest with every new inch she revealed, smiling when she felt goosebumps rise. Then it was her turn to shiver as she met his heated stare. “Do you like that?” she asked as seductively as she could manage.

“I like everything you do to me,” Kurt bit out as she pulled his shirt free of his pants, so close to where he needed her touch the most and yet so far. He reciprocated by dragging his hands up her stomach, stopping just below her still-covered breasts but not touching, and he smiled at her groan of frustration. “Turnabout’s fair play.”

And two could play at it. Jane’s smile turned mischievous as she unfastened the button on his pants and slowly, carefully lowered the zipper without touching his growing erection. She kept her eyes locked on his as she got to her feet and pulled first his pants and then his boxers off before licking her lips as she raked her gaze over him appreciatively.

If she wanted a show, he would damn well give her one. “Like what you see?” Kurt asked in a gravelly voice as he slowly shrugged his shirt off his shoulders and pulled his arms free of the sleeves before interlacing his fingers behind his head as he laid back and allowed her free rein to study him.

This was the first time they had really stopped to view one another before their lovemaking, and Jane took the time to enjoy it, removing her bra and stepping out of her panties so Kurt could look his fill as well. When her eyes finally met his again, she shivered at the heat in his gaze. “You’re really gorgeous, you know that?” she said as she climbed back onto the bed and straddled him.

“So are you,” Kurt told her, his words ending on a moan as her hand closed around his length, and she began stroking him. He closed his eyes at the pleasurable feel for a moment before reaching a hand between her legs to return the favor. She was soaked with desire, and his finger slid easily along her slit before circling her clit. Her free hand came up to grasp his shoulder as she rocked into his hand, her own grip tightening on him reflexively as she stroked him in time with the motion of his fingers inside her, until she crested the wave with a soft cry.

Kurt slowed the movement of his fingers as he felt Jane’s inner muscles clenching around him, drawing out her orgasm until her breathing evened out and she opened her eyes. “Hey,” he said as he pulled her down to his level to kiss her. “I really love you, you know that?”

“I know,” Jane assured him. “I love you, too.” Their lips met, and she quickly went from sated to wanting him again as the kiss deepened, igniting a new firestorm of desire. She didn’t think she would ever have enough of him, _be_ close enough to him. She reached down and guided him inside her, and they groaned in unison at the pleasurable feeling.

Jane stretched out on top of him until they were aligned from chest to toe before bracing her feet against his and pushing off, settling into a rocking motion that had his pelvis rubbing against her clit with every stroke.

Kurt let her guide the pace, running his hands over whatever parts of her body he could reach, and it wasn’t long before her movements became erratic, the pleasure threatening to overwhelm them both. He rolled her beneath him and began thrusting into her with abandon, reaching a hand between them to press against her clit as he felt the all-consuming pressure building at the base of his spine.

Jane came with a choked cry, and the clenching of her inner walls triggered his own orgasm. He collapsed heavily onto her, and it was several minutes before sanity returned. He tried to roll off her, but she tightened her arms around him, holding him in place. She wanted to stay connected just a little while longer.

Kurt braced his weight on his forearms to keep from crushing her as he pressed a kiss to her forehead and then smiled down at her. “That was . . . Wow. We are definitely going to have to try that again one of these days.”

“Mmm,” Jane agreed, still struggling to find the words to form coherent speech. “I never could have imagined when we started this voyage that this was where we’d end up.” That they would be sharing not just a bed, but their bodies, their hearts. The rest of their _lives._

“I’m going to spend the rest of my life being thankful that we did,” Kurt said fervently. And making sure that _she_ never regretted choosing him. He would always be sorry that he had been a stubborn ass and cost them precious time they could have been enjoying together. But he wasn’t going to waste another second of it. “We head back into port the day after tomorrow. Is everything ready for . . .?”

“All set,” Jane assured him. “Sarah and I talked over the final details after lunch today. Oh, and we agreed Reade should be let in on the plan. He and Sarah are getting serious about one another, and I didn’t think you’d mind.” Reade was the closest male friend Kurt had that she knew of. It was nice that they would be settling close enough to one another that the two of them could still do . . . guy stuff, on occasion.

“I don’t. But he’d better not be an idiot this time and screw things up with Sarah _again,”_ Kurt grumbled. “Or I _will_ have something to say about it this time.”

“You’re a good big brother,” Jane told him. And he was going to be an _amazing_ father. She finally loosened her hold on him, and he rolled onto his back, pulling her with him. She shifted closer, snuggling into her usual sleeping position with her head tucked in the hollow of his neck, and they talked for a few more minutes before sleep claimed them both.

The rest of the voyage passed relatively uneventfully. Jane awoke early on the final day, instinctively reaching out for Kurt, but the sheets beside her were cold to the touch. Her eyes flew open as she remembered why, and she sat bolt upright in bed. They would be getting into port early this afternoon.

And she and Kurt were getting married this morning.

Sarah arrived shortly after she awoke with a light breakfast that she insisted Jane eat. Jane obediently choked it down, though she didn’t taste a bite of it, and then Sarah did her hair and makeup before carefully helping her into the dress they had picked out the day they went shopping together. It was a lacy strapless gown with a small train that Jane had fallen in love with on first sight.

“Okay,” Sarah said once she’d straightened the train. “You’re almost ready. Now you just need something old, something new, something borrowed, and something blue. Here . . .” She held out a pair of dangly sapphire and diamond earrings. “These belonged to our grandmother, and I know she would have loved you. That will take care of the something old, something borrowed, and something blue.”

Jane hugged her, slightly teary-eyed, and she waited until she had put the earrings on before continuing. “And this . . . this will take care of the something new.” She handed her a small jewelry box. “Welcome to the family, Jane.”

Jane’s breath caught in her throat as she opened the box to reveal a diamond heart-link bracelet that had caught her eye on their shopping trip. She hugged Sarah again, much more fiercely this time. “I love it. Thank you. I am so lucky to be getting you for a sister-in-law.”

“Forget the in-law,” Sarah corrected. “I know you and Kurt will be together for the rest of your lives, so that makes us sisters. Period. End of story. Don’t you dare cry and mess up your makeup,” she added hastily as Jane’s eyes looked alarmingly moist. “This is a day for celebration, not tears. Even happy ones. Now come on. It’s time to get this show on the road.”

She had done her hair and makeup before she left her own cabin, and she quickly slipped into the bridesmaid’s dress that Jane had been storing for her, and then the two of them left the cabin, taking a slightly circuitous route to the onboard wedding chapel to avoid too many prying eyes. They had gone to great pains to keep their plans a secret from all but a handful of people.

And those people had played their parts to perfection, Sarah noted with satisfaction once she had deposited Jane in the small waiting room next to the chapel and glanced inside. The chapel was nearly filled with off-duty ship’s personnel, but Rich hadn’t arrived yet. Patterson had been put in charge of convincing him to release Zapata and Cade and getting them all here, and Sarah had no doubt that the woman was more than equal to the task.

Sure enough, less than five minutes later, Ana and Oliver, who were acting as lookouts, signaled her that the group was coming, and she darted into the room where Jane and Kurt and Reade were waiting.

Jane and Kurt had reluctantly agreed to spend the night apart, Kurt bunking down in Reade’s office, but they had been adamant that they were walking down the aisle together, dispensing with the tradition of waiting until the ceremony to see one another. Sarah started to ask them if they were ready, but from the way they were gazing at one another, it was clear that they were. “Okay, you lovebirds,” she announced brightly. “It’s time.”

Reade held out his arm and Sarah took it, the two of them serving as best man and maid-of-honor respectively. They made their way down the aisle and took their places on either side of the chaplain, seeing the wonder on the guests’ faces as it dawned on them what was going on just as the pianist launched into the Wedding March.

Jane kept a tight grip on Kurt’s hand as they walked down the aisle and faced Chaplain Mayfair. She smiled warmly at them before launching into the familiar ceremony.

It went off without a hitch, apart from Rich’s loud, “If they do, they’ll have to deal with me,” when Mayfair asked if anyone had any objections to their union. Jane was pretty sure she also heard him mutter, “You can do better than that, Stubbles,” when they exchanged an all-too-brief first kiss as husband and wife, but she was too caught up in the moment to be sure.

Oliver had created an exquisite wedding cake, and after the ceremony, they made their way to the ballroom for a brief reception, sharing their first dance before carefully feeding one another pieces of cake and accepting well-wishes from passengers and staff alike.

Several hours later, Jane and Kurt stood hand-in-hand on deck wishing many of those same passengers goodbye.

It was the end of one memorable cruise, but the beginning of a lifetime voyage.


	18. Chapter 18

The Orion was due to set sail in thirty minutes.

Kurt wrapped his arms tighter around his wife and smiled down at her glowing face as they leaned against the railing of the ship they had once called home. She'd been ecstatic when Rich had called to propose this reunion cruise strictly for them, saying the invitation could not have come at a more fortuitous time, and looking at her now, he had to agree. The last few years had been such a whirlwind of activity that they had more than earned this vacation.

And it was wonderful to catch up with their friends as well. Patterson and David had left the ship shortly after them and had settled in Portland as well to start a tech company, and Sarah and Reade lived in the same subdivision, but it had been months since they'd seen Tasha and Cade, and Ana and Oliver.

Rich, on the other hand . . .

Kurt grimaced good-naturedly as he glanced over at his former boss. The man took perverse pleasure on dropping in on them unannounced any time he was "in the neighborhood," which for a man of his means was pretty much any damn time the mood struck him. He'd stepped up those visits when their daughter Ava was born two years ago, proclaiming himself her "Uncle Rich" and decrying the fact that he hadn't been asked to be a godparent, and always arrived with an armload of lavish (and extremely expensive) presents.

He shook his head as Rich twirled Ava in his arms, and she squealed in delight. The man might be a thorn in his side at times, but his daughter loved him, and he couldn't find it in his heart to deny her the extended family neither he nor Jane had. At least they had managed to curb the most extravagant of his spending by pointing out that their house was too small to hold the largest of the gifts he wanted to bestow on Ava (and politely declining his offer to buy them a bigger one with a yard large enough to hold a carousel.)

"He's really good with her," Tasha observed, noting the direction of Kurt's gaze as Jane laughingly moved to collect their daughter before Rich made her toss her cookies. "And you and Jane are amazing parents."

Kurt nodded, feeling his heart swell with love as he watched his wife cuddle their daughter close. She'd had her misgivings about her ability to be a mother after her upbringing, but she was a natural, and there was nothing he loved more than watching his two girls together. "Careful, Tasha," he teased as he glanced over at her, noticing her eyes were suspiciously bright as she took in the scene. "Ava will have you wanting one of your own in no time."

Zapata gave a noncommittal hmmph, but in truth, the idea wasn't as unappealing as it had once been. She still didn't see herself as the white picket fence type, but then Jane wasn't either, and she was so blissfully happy she was glowing. She'd been surprised to discover that she'd been more disappointed than horrified when she'd had a pregnancy scare a few months earlier. Perhaps she and Cade would need to reconsider her stance on the subject. She'd seen pretty much all of the world she cared to for a while, and motherhood didn't seem so scary now that she knew she'd found the right guy.

Clearly her friends felt the same way on the subject. "So," Patterson said when there was a lull in the conversation, "David and I have some news." He wrapped an arm around her waist, and the two of them shared a secret smile before looking back at the group. "We're expecting a baby. I'm due the middle of May."

"Wow, no kidding?" Ana asked. "Me too. I'm due in late April. This is actually going to be Oliver's and my last voyage. He's taking a job as an executive chef in Portland, so we can be closer to you guys." She definitely wanted her friends' advice and support at this stage in her life.

"What a coincidence," Sarah said with a laugh. "I'm pregnant as well." She and Reade had been trying for quite some time, and she was overjoyed to finally be expecting again. Watching Jane and Kurt with Ava had ignited a fierce desire for another little one to call her own.

"Congratulations!" Jane exclaimed, hugging her sister fiercely as Kurt slapped Reade on the back. "I guess I'm finally going to get to put all those knitting lessons you gave me to good use, and make you something for your little one. When are you due?"

"The beginning of May," Sarah said with a laugh. "Crazy, right?" She grinned. "This is so amazing. The three of us all having babies at the same time." She could already see their kids having playdates together and becoming best friends, and them supporting one another through all the major milestones in the children's lives.

"It definitely calls for a toast," Rich announced. He motioned them toward the lounge, taking advantage of Jane's preoccupation to scoop Ava back into his arms. "Non-alcoholic, of course."

"I saw your face when they all announced they were pregnant," Kurt murmured to Jane as they walked. "Ready to try for a second one?" This would be an ideal place—and time—to do it. Ava had been conceived aboard this ship, and Rich had even arranged for them to stay in their old cabin.

Jane stopped and turned to face him. The rest of the group eyed them curiously, but she motioned them on. "Give us a second, guys, will you?"

She waited until they were out of earshot before turning back to her bewildered husband. "Kurt . . ." She looped her arms around his waist. "I have something to tell you. I was going to wait until we got to our cabin, but . . ." She took a deep breath. "I'm pregnant."

Kurt let out a whoop that had the others turning back to them and hefted Jane in his arms, swinging her around before kissing her tenderly as joy surged through him. "I'm going to be a daddy. Again," he said with tears in his eyes.

"The best daddy in the world," Jane agreed, smiling up at him as tears began rolling down her own cheeks. "I love you, Kurt."

"Love you too," he returned as he reluctantly set her on her feet, and they walked over to the waiting group.

"Well," Rich said. "I'm guessing we have one more bun in the oven to toast? It's about time, you two. Ava is going to be a wonderful big sister. And for the record, Boston and I would make excellent godparents to the little munchkins." He cast a pointed look in Jane and Kurt's direction.

The others were quick to congratulate them. Sarah especially was thrilled that they would be sharing this monumental experience as sisters, since she and Jane were due less than two weeks apart.

The group eventually made it to the lounge for that toast, and they talked for a while as the Orion left port and made its way out to sea before going their separate ways to unpack, agreeing to meet up in several hours for dinner.

"You've been quiet," Cade observed as he and Tasha walked back to their cabin. "Is everything okay?"

"Yeah, I guess. I just . . ." Tasha stopped and took a deep breath. "It was just . . . I thought I might be pregnant a couple months ago. And I wasn't . . . as upset about the idea as I thought I'd be. Actually . . ." She met his eyes. "I was more disappointed than relieved."

"Oh, Tash." Cade gathered her into his arms. "Why didn't you tell me?"

Tasha took a shuddery breath as she burrowed her head deeper into his chest. "I don't know. I started to, but I . . . I mean, we said no kids, and I didn't know how to . . ."

"That was never set in stone, Tasha," Cade told her gently. "It's true I couldn't picture myself being a father when we first got together, but I'd like to think we've both grown since then. I have to admit, your friends have made parenthood look pretty appealing, and Kurt's given me a lot of great advice. And I know you'll be a great mom. So I guess what I'm saying is . . ." He pulled back and placed a finger under her chin to tilt her eyes to his. "If you'd like to try for a baby of our own, I'm willing. On one condition."

"Oh yeah?" Tasha asked softly, feeling herself melt at his words. "And what's that?"

"Marry me," Cade said simply. "I love you, Tasha. I want to belong to you and you to me, and have a child with you, and grow old together. I never thought I'd feel that way about anybody, but then you came into my life, and I—"

"Yes," Tasha said fiercely, throwing herself into his arms once more. "To all of that. I love you so much, Cade. You've made me happier than I even knew it was possible to be."

"Me too," Cade agreed, resting his cheek on her hair. They stood there, content to simply bask in the moment, for quite some time before he added, "Now what do you say we go get started on the baby-making practice?"

Tasha laughed as she grabbed his hand and drew him along to their stateroom—the same stateroom Rich had locked them in all those years ago—and they proceeded to do just that.

xxx

Rich had insisted on keeping Ava for the rest of the afternoon, and Kurt was incredibly grateful as he lay in a sated tangle of limbs with Jane. As much as he loved spending time with both of his girls, the two of them had needed this time alone together to celebrate their love for one another and the new life they'd soon be welcoming into the world.

"How long have you known?" he asked Jane now as his hands moved down to cup her belly protectively.

"I found out right before Rich called to invite us on this cruise," Jane told him. "I was going to tell you right away, but then it just seemed like it would be perfect to wait till we got here, where we found out about Ava." She still remembered vividly the nerves as they had waited for the requisite minutes to tick by on the home pregnancy test, the anxious anticipation rolling off Kurt as he held her tightly. "I was going to wait until we got to the cabin, but—"

"It was perfect just as it was," Kurt assured her. "I love the symbolism, but it's not the place that matters to me, Jane. It's who I'm with."

Jane rolled over to face him and caught her breath at the love shining in his eyes. Even after all these years, the depth of his devotion to her still caught her by surprise sometimes. She'd never been much for fairy tales before Ava came along, but she felt like she was living the real-life happily ever after.

And she was overjoyed to see that her friends—her family—were as well. Tasha and Cade announced their engagement at dinner that evening, and both they and David and Patterson decided to follow in Jane and Kurt's footsteps and wed aboard the ship. They had a double wedding their third day at sea, and the voyage became more like a honeymoon—or second honeymoon—than the reunion Rich had initially envisioned. Not that he minded, since it gave him unfettered access to Ava.

And there was one more surprise in store for them. The ladies scheduled a girls-only brunch their last full day at sea, and when Tasha finally arrived—nearly twenty minutes late—she was incredibly pale. "Sorry," she said as she took a seat. "I guess I've lost my sea legs. My stomach's been upset the entire voyage."

"Really?" Jane asked teasingly. "It certainly hasn't affected your appetite. You were really packing the food away at dinner last night." She'd never seen Tasha eat so much in one sitting. She'd seemed to have a real craving for—

Craving. Jane's eyes widened at the idea, and her breath caught in her throat as she thought back on her friend's behavior over the past week. Tasha had barely touched food in the mornings, merely nibbling on the blandest of offerings, but she had more than made up for that lack at dinner each night. "Oh," she said joyously as her suspicion took root.

"Oh, what?" Tasha demanded. "Why are you grinning at me like that? What is goi—" She blinked in surprise as Jane pulled her to her feet and hugged her.

"Tasha," Jane said when she drew back, "I'm pretty sure you don't have seasickness. I think it's morning sickness. I think you're pregnant too," she elaborated when Tasha simply stared at her dumbly.

"Yeah, I got that," Tasha said, her mind racing as she tried to figure out if Jane could be right, and her breath caught in her throat as she realized she definitely could be. She could be having a baby around the same time as her friends. "I'm going to need a pregnancy test," she said, not wanting to get too caught up in the excitement until she knew for sure.

Fortunately, given Rich's maniacal matchmaking tendencies, he kept those in stock in his ship's stores, and thirty minutes later, Tasha found herself pacing anxiously, surrounded by her friends as she waited for the results. "I can't look," she said nervously when the timer went off.

"Yes, you can," Jane told her gently, taking her hand and gently leading her over to the test. She wrapped an arm around her friend, and they looked down at it together, registering the positive results. "Welcome to the club, Tasha." She hugged her fiercely.

"I'm pregnant," Tasha said in a tiny voice. Her smile bloomed. "Oh my god. I'm going to have a baby."

They all gathered around her, hugging and laughing and crying, and once their tears had subsided and the news had fully sunk in, they went to break it to the men. Cade promptly fainted, and they all teased him about that for years afterwards.

He acquitted himself better in the delivery room several months later when his twin son and daughter were born, rounding out the group of what Rich christened "The Merry Munchkins."

The six of them became best friends, just as their parents were, just as their parents had hoped, and twenty-five years later, Kurt and Jane found themselves in the wedding chapel of the Orion once more as their son pledged his life to Tasha and Cade's daughter.

It was the perfect ending to the fairy tale none of them had ever thought to have.


End file.
